Tips for a long-lasting Christmas tree

• If you’re not decorating the tree right away, stand it in a pail of water outdoors in a shady area.
• Indoors, check the tree stand daily. Do not let the water level drop below the cut end.
• Place your Christmas tree away from heat sources (or close the furnace vent) and out of direct sunlight.

With care, your Noble Fir will stay fresh throughout the holiday season.
For safety, do not attempt to burn a Christmas tree for firewood.

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Why a Real Christmas Tree?

Yes, you can unfold an artificial, made-in-China Christmas tree, and maybe even spray on some evergreen fragrance … but it’s not the same as a real tree. Instead, you can enjoy a fresh, locally grown Christmas tree during the holiday season, knowing you’ve made an environmentally sound choice. Here’s why:

• During my childhood—yes, that was back in the previous century—cattle grazed on the hillside that is now planted in Noble Fir at our farm. The field of nearly 5 acres supports a planting of around 5,000 Christmas trees. Each tree grows for 7 to 10 years, and when it’s cut, another seedling goes into that space. This dense planting has continued for 30 years, preventing soil erosion and filtering the air.
• Viewed more closely, 1 acre of Christmas trees provides the daily oxygen requirements for 18 people, according the National Christmas Tree Association. Of course you enjoy the fresh air and outdoor experience when you visit the farm, but it’s nice to know you get the benefits all year long as the trees absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen.
• When you visit Harrison Road Farm to find that “perfect Christmas tree,” you’re doing more than building a meaningful family tradition: you’re supporting local growers of real trees.
• It’s probably no surprise that Oregon leads the nation in Christmas tree production, with some 6 million sold each year. That’s about twice the volume of North Carolina and Michigan, ranked second and third by National Christmas Tree Association figures.
• Christmas trees are grown in all 50 states, often on sites that won’t support other crops. Even in Kansas, our family made an annual trek to a Christmas tree farm when we lived there. Now it’s our turn to welcome families to our Oregon farm, where hot cocoa and candy canes are waiting when they bring in their fresh-cut Noble fir.