GREENWISE HELPS TREE GROWERS LEARN MANAGEMENT SKILLS

Learning better management skills might not earn a Christmas tree grower the chance to send a tree to the White House, but as Sanford and Debbie Fishel of Ashe County have learned, it can't hurt.

The Fishels, owners of Grouse Ridge Tree Farms, earned the honor of providing a tree to the White House this year. Last February the couple, who have been growing trees for 19 years, participated in Greenwise, a new management education program sponsored by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service.

Greenwise, which was patterned after a similar Extension education program called ProDairy developed at Cornell University, gives Christmas tree growers and nursery owners the skills, knowledge, and abilities they need to reach their individual objectives and goals. The program is based on management principles that have revolutionized the business world, according to Lanny Hass, are specialized agent with Extension's West district office in Fletcher. Hass helped develop the program in western North Carolina along with Jeff Owen, area Extension forestry specialist.

Participants in the program begin by taking the Myers Briggs Self Analysis to learn more about their own strengths and weaknesses and those of their management team. Participants learn to deal with change through a process of creative problem solving. They also take part in writing a mission statement for their operations, as well as setting goals and objectives.

"What they're coming away with is the foundation of management that anyone from Hewlett Packard or IBM could use," Hass says. Because many tree and nursery businesses are family-owned, many husbands and wives participate in the training together. Some operations even bring in their foremen and other workers. Balancing personal life and business in a family-owned operation is among the topics covered by Greenwise.

Jerry Washington, agricultural Extension agent for Christmas trees, based in Alleghany County, said the management issues that tree growers have to deal with are overwhelming. Their income like Santa Claus only arrives once a year and is very dependent on weather and other circumstances beyond their control. The growers he has referred to the program come away grateful for the time spent setting goals for their operations.

Debbie and Sanford Fishel of Grouse Ridge Tree Farms have 500 acres of trees in Ashe County and Virginia. Though their tree was selected this year for the White House, the actual tree was supplied by a neighbor because the Fishel's 18-foot trees were six inches less than the 18 « feet required by White House decorators. However, a 14-foot tree from the Fishel's farm will grace the First Family's private quarters.

Last February, the Fishels participated in a Greenwise workshop held in Laurel Springs. "It really gave us a chance to solidify some things, where we're going," says Debbie Fishel. "I think we've become more aware of our strengths and weaknesses."

The Fishels wrote the following mission statement for Grouse Ridge Tree Farms as part of the workshop: To serve our customers with honesty and provide a premium product; to treat our customers as well as employees with respect and Christian love; and to be a good steward with the natural resources God has entrusted to us."

Debbie Fishel said she would recommend the workshop to other growers. "Farms tend to be all to themselves, independent. This is a good chance to learn how to pull it all together, to know your strengths and weaknesses, and to plan accordingly."

Greenwise and workshops will be held in Jackson County on Jan. 15, 22, and 29, and in Buncombe County on Feb. 17, 23-24. For information on the Jackson County workshop, contact the Jackson County center of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, (704) 586-4009, and for information on the Buncombe County workshop, contact Tom Butzler at (704) 255-5522.