| DECEMBER 8, 2011 -- Walk through any Christmas tree lot and take a moment to inhale deeply. Maybe it's the clean, fresh scent of evergreen, perhaps it's the crisp fresh air; taken together with a little holiday spirit, tree hunters know there's a certain magic to a fresh-cut tree.
While Connecticut doesn't produce as many Christmas trees as states such as North Carolina and Pennsylvania, the Constitution State is still home to 5,000 acres of evergreen trees, scattered on more than 100 tree farms.
Evergreens are a 10-year crop, so farmers must employ a delicate balance between customer demand and planning for next year. Smaller farms will sell only limited runs of mature trees and leave the rest to nature to produce next year's run. Working toward long-term viability, Connecticut tree-farmers plant two new seedlings every spring for every mature tree they harvest, according to Kathy Kogut, executive director of the Connecticut Christmas Tree Growers Association.
"We are very pro-agriculture, and really into farm preservation," says Kogut. "We preach it all the time to our members."
Kogut says tree farmer numbers are dwindling as younger generations of farming families decline to take up the business. Beyond the economic benefits to the state economy, tree farm preservation becomes all the more important, considering the environmental advantages of the business.
There are about 350,000 acres in production for growing Christmas trees in the United States, according to the growers association, and much of that acreage is protected green space - prime locations for wildlife habitat. Every acre of trees provides the daily oxygen requirements of 18 people.
And unlike petroleum-based plastic trees, live trees are biodegradable and won't occupy much space in a landfill come January - or, they can be recycled into mulch, fuel, or even nesting structures for birds.
Two other factors have helped to boost local interest in live trees, according to Kogut: the green movement and Martha Stewart, whose yearly live tree selection reliably affects what type of tree Connecticut customers buy.
Kogut prefers a Fraser fir for its long needles, needle retention and fragrance, but in her 24 years as the owner of Hemlock Hill, a tree farm in Somers, one tree-selection trend is clear.
"It's really, really, really a matter of personal preference," she notes, although Colorado spruce has emerged as a popular tree type in recent years.
Perhaps spurred along by the Martha-Stewart effect is a growing interest in Christmas tree hunting as tradition among younger families. Kogut says she gets repeat customers who regularly cite quality family time as a prime motivator for purchasing a real tree. And Connecticut's farmers are ready to accommodate them, with hayrides, Santa visits and even tailgate events scheduled at farms across the state.
"We've tried to bring back tradition on the choose-and-cut farms," Kogut says. "(The experience) kind of invites the family to come out as a family."
And families are likely to come out this weekend. Despite contentions that the day after Thanksgiving is the busiest tree-buying day of the season, Kogut says, "Normally your crazy, crazy weekend is your first weekend in December."
Naturally, Kogut's will be among the many families enjoying the holidays in an evergreen-scented home.
"We always have a real tree, she says. "Sometimes we don't get it up until right before Christmas, but we always have a real tree."
Know your conifers
The trees we use as Christmas decorations are conifers, a large species of cone-bearing seed plants, with long, thin needle-like foliage. But all conifers are not created equal. The list below describers the main characteristics of the most popular conifer trees grown in Connecticut.
Balsam fir: Short, flat, long-lasting needles that are rounded at the tip; nice, dark green color with silvery cast and fragrant. Named for the balsam or resin found in blisters on bark.
Fraser fir: Dark green, flattened needles; good needle retention; nice scent; pyramid-shaped strong branches which turn upward. Named for a botanist, John Fraser, who explored the southern Appalachians in the late 1700s.
Canaan fir: Canaan is a relative newcomer to the Christmas tree market. It has many similarities to both Fraser and balsam firs in growth and appearance.
Concolor (White) fir: Blue-green needles; nice shape and good aroma, a citrus scent; good needle retention.
Colorado blue spruce: Dark green to powdery blue; stiff needles; good form; will drop needles in a warm room; symmetrical; best among species for needle retention; branches are stiff and will support many heavy decorations.
White spruce: Green to bluish-green, short, stiff needles; crushed needles have an unpleasant odor; good needle retention.
White pine: Soft, blue-green needles, 2 to 5 inches long in bundles of five; retains needles throughout the holiday season; very full appearance; little or no fragrance; less allergic reactions as compared to more fragrant trees. Largest pine in United States.
Sources: University of Illinois Extension and the National Christmas Tree Association.
TREE-BUYING TIPS
Measure the height and width of the space you have available in the room where the tree will be placed.
Go to the farm prepared for a day in the country. Wear comfortable shoes and old clothes. Bring rain gear if the weather is threatening. The "cutter downers" and the "loader uppers" should wear gloves.
Choose a fresh tree. A fresh tree will have a healthy green appearance with few browning needles. Needles should be flexible and not fall off if you run a branch through your hand.
Make sure the handle or base of the tree is straight and 6-8 inches long so it will fit easily into the stand.
Cutting the tree is easiest as a two-person project. The "cutter downer" usually lies on the ground while the helper holds the bottom limbs up. While the cut is being made, the helper should tug on the tree lightly to ensure that the saw kerf remains open so that the saw does not bind. Tug from the side of the tree opposite the cut. A back cut should be made first with the final cut coming from the opposite side.
Cover your tree with a tarp or plastic for the trip home to keep it from drying out.
If you are not putting the tree up right away, store it in an unheated garage or some other area out of the wind and freezing temperatures. Make a fresh one-inch cut on the butt end of the tree and place it in a bucket of warm water.
When it's time to bring the tree indoors, make another fresh one-inch cut and place the tree in a sturdy stand that holds at least one gallon of water, or a rule of thumb is one quart of water for every inch of diameter of the trunk.
Source: Connecticut Christmas Tree Growers Association
|
