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Member Story: Port aux Basques Marine Excursions
Port aux Basques Marine Excursions offers visitors the opportunity to try cod fishing, to see the scenic southern landscape, and even explore the region.
‘Tis the season to be jolly—and if you’re looking for the perfect tree to rock around, look no further than Red-Robin Christmas Tree Farm. This veritable winter wonderland is located just 25km north of Fredericton, New Brunswick and has been a one-stop-shop for the holiday spirit for nearly 20 years.
For owner Gerry Redmond, Red-Robin allows him the opportunity to share his love of the outdoors, stay connected to his community, and create the kind of place where families can come year-after-year to carry on their own traditions.
Gerry—a retired big game biologist with the province of New Brunswick—has always loved the outdoors, even as a kid. And it’s a passion he loves to share with others. “I love getting people to come out and enjoy the fresh air,” he says. “I’m a wildlife biologist by profession, which has led to my passion to create a rich wildlife habitat along with a place for folks to come and find a naturally-grown Christmas tree. I frequently have visits from bird watchers, wild flower enthusiasts, forest companies, forestry college students, and others to see the unique plants and trees that exist on my property.”
It’s a plan and a philosophy that’s obviously working. Gerry welcomes between 5,000–6,000 visitors every season to his Christmas tree farm.
“I remember a couple of years ago this woman came with a newborn baby in her arms. I mentioned that she had been coming here for a really long time and she said, ‘You know, I’ve been coming here since my mom had me in her arms!’,” he chuckles. “A whole generation has gone through the farm now and it’s fun to see the generational shift and to know that Red-Robin has been—and continues to be—an important part of so many holiday traditions.”
In addition to a philosophy of helping people get back outside and in touch with nature, Gerry also believes in the ideas of service and community.
“I always find that when I go to a place personally and get good service, I go back. And that’s something I try to practice at Red-Robin Farm,” says Gerry. “I like to give back to the community as well—I like to raise money for different events and different non-profit organizations and I hire a lot of young people to help out around the farm. It helps me be more in tune with my community, which is something that’s really important for me.”
For Gerry, it’s this philosophical alignment that also attracted him to the credit union. “I’ve been a credit union member for many years. I enjoy the community connection, as well as the personal touches that are often associated with local businesses versus the service you get from larger ‘from away’ businesses.”
In addition to Christmas trees, Red-Robin farm also has a small maple syrup operation, apple picking, a white tail deer winterization area, and soon, a shiitake mushroom growing area making it a true year-round destination.
As for the biggest challenge Gerry faces? “The biggest challenge we have is being able to make enough homemade chocolate chip cookies to give away during the busy season,” laughs Gerry. Not a bad problem to have!
Photos courtesy of Gerry Redmond.