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Aug 25, 2023

Fewer birthdays

Northern Family Farms in Merrillan, Wisconsin, is a third-generation business led by siblings Ashley and Derek Ahl. The family business started as a Christmas tree farm, and that continues today with

Northern Family Farms in Merrillan, Wisconsin, is a third-generation business led by siblings Ashley and Derek Ahl. The family business started as a Christmas tree farm, and that continues today with nearly 8,000 Fraser and Balsam firs, Scotch and White pines available. Ashley and Derek’s father, John Ahl, expanded the business to include nursery production. Northern Family Farms has about 200 acres in production, growing containerized woody shrubs and evergreens, roses, perennials and a full assortment of shade, flowering and fruit trees.

Ashley has been working with Van Belle Nursery for more than five years, purchasing the Canadian company’s RocketLiner product.

RocketLiners are jumbo 600cc inputs that finish a 2-, 3- or 5-gallon container in a single season. RocketLiners are propagated using patented trays which produce robust inputs with better root training, more surface area and greater fresh root mass. Ahl says the RocketLiners do finish in a season for them at Northern Family Farms.

“That’s ultimately what we’re looking for, quick turns at the nursery so we don’t have to overwinter for multiple years,” she says. “Too many birthdays are not a good thing at the nursery.”

Along with the quick turn-around and fast finishing time, Ahl says the FloGo pot-less shipping system has been a hit with her crew.

“Not having to shuck pots at the potting machine has been glorious,” she says. “The team loves that.”

Van Belle ships young plants in 100% recyclable cardboard boxes, de-potted so workers don’t have to spend time wrestling the plant from the pot. The savings in labor cost adds up and the crew is happier. Also, the plants are top-notch.

“The roots are always really healthy and the plants are nice and stout,” Ahl says. “I appreciate their double stick too. It gives a nice, full base to the shrubs so we’re not getting any long handles on the shrubs.”

Ahl says she buys liners from Van Belle when they have failures in their own propagation, but mostly her purchases have been the Bloomin’ Easy line.

“There’s a lot of variety in the foliage colors, which has been really nice,” she says. “Our selection, especially up north, tends to be pretty green throughout the season, which can be kind of boring.”

It also helps to know that Van Belle is a grower in the Pacific Northwest that ships its products east into Alberta, which is a similar climate to Northern Family Farms’ customers. It gives Ahl confidence that the plants they develop will thrive in the same sort of conditions.

“I appreciate that where they service in Canada is nice, hardy material that helps us service our customers in Zone 4 and Zone 3 in Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Dakotas,” she says.

For more: www.northernfamilyfarms.com

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