Typically, Thanksgiving weekend is the time when people begin to put up their holiday displays in and around their homes. Christmas tree lots are popping up.
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The Iowa Agriculture Department says the farms devote over 1,500 acres to Christmas tree production in Iowa and as a result harvest approximately 39,500 Christmas trees each year.
There are approximately 150 Christmas tree farms in Texas that produce 200,000 trees annually. “Iowa is fortunate to have more than 100 Christmas tree farms in all parts of the state, so everyone has the opportunity to get their own fresh tree to help celebrate”. Visiting his Christmas tree farm in Ridge Manor, just north of Dade City, is an after-Thanksgiving tradition in the Bay area spanning more than a quarter-century.
This is year number 17 for Scott Gardner and his family to visit Plantation Pines, in Tyler, and pick out their Christmas tree.
“This year we know the trees are extra healthy because they’ve grown in height”. It might be a good idea to take a few measurements before leaving home. White pine trees are popular for their soft needles, while Scotch Pine and Norway Spruce are known for strong branches, ideal for hanging ornaments.
Glass says it takes around seven years for a tree to reach Christmas-sale-size, so a drought year has lingering effects on the business.
“There’s not that many trees being planted and it’s becoming a real shortage, it’s gonna be a real problem next year”, Boolootian said.
“Moved into Cascade in 1971 so coming here years and years it’s been decades, dozens of trees from this place”, Edgar said.
Summers Christmas Tree Farm will be open daily through Christmas Eve, giving families the chance to find a tree and continue a tradition. Purchasing your tree from a local producer also reduces travel and increases product freshness.
Firefighters say before you hang them, make sure your lights are UL tested, and that no wires are exposed.
“People with younger children like to cut down a tree, it makes it kind of a family thing and the little kids think it’s a pretty neat deal”, he says. “Basically they (trees) do pretty good when there’s not a lot of rain, because they don’t get over watered”.
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Add water to the stand and keep doing so each day until the tree is ready to come down. The trees are placed on the ice in the winter and when the ice melts in the spring, they fall into the lake for fish habitat. Even if you buy a tree for $50 or $60 dollars… you can’t go to a movie and take a family of six to a movie for that price.
