Pud and Kerry Johnston

This weekend is one of the busiest of the year for Christmas tree farms all over the region as the holidays approach and people start looking for a fresh trees. At Johnston Brothers Tree Farm, located about 71 kilometres south of Ottawa, it’s no sweat for founder Pud Johnston. Johnston is 99-years-old and it’s his 72nd season selling Christmas trees. Johnston started the business in 1952 with his brother Eric and they worked alongside each other until he passed away in 2009. Johnston’s son Kerry is now the main operator of the farm but he is still engaged every day… “I think it’s a healthy activity,” Johnston said. “I think it’s provided lots of exercise and kept me fit and kept me young, and I wouldn’t be 99-years-old now if I hadn’t been Christmas tree farming.” …for Kerry, it’s all he’s known his whole life, cutting his first tree when he was about 8-years-old.