Support your local Christmas tree farmer
Thu, Dec 03 2009 at 11:51 AM EST
I know Christmas trees aren’t food, and I’m the food blogger. Supporting local farmers is important to me, and I think it’s important to many of my readers, too. So I’m going a little off topic this morning. I’m sure you won’t mind.
I believe in supporting local any way I can. Sometimes, it’s by buying food from local producers. Sometimes, it’s by choosing a cup of coffee from the independent, local coffees shop instead of a chain. Sometimes, it’s by going directly to a local winery to buy wine instead of buying from a discount wine chine. And sometimes, it’s by paying a little more for my Christmas tree at a local tree farm instead of going to the nursery center of the big box hardware store to grab one.
There are about 1,000,000 acres of land dedicated to Christmas trees in the United States. A lot of the soil on those Christmas tree farms isn’t good for other agricultural endeavors. If not for those farms, the land might be sold off to developers and that open space would disappear. Considering the fact that each acres of tree farm helps clean the air, reduce greenhouse gasses, and gives off enough oxygen for 18 people, that would be a shame.
Just like other small farmers, the independent, small Christmas tree farmers around the country need our support so they can continue to help preserve open spaces and benefit the environment.
If you buy a real Christmas tree each year, please consider going directly to a tree farm to buy your tree this year instead of going to a big box store that sells trees.
Pickyourownchristmastree.org is a searchable site that helps you find the independent tree farmers in your region. Some of the farms allow you to go out in the field and chose a tree that they cut down. Some have them cut for you already. Many of them have activities like hayrides or caroling on weekends. The farm we go to has hayrides, a huge wooden train for the kids to climb on, and a large electric train display that my boys love.
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