Your Christmas Tree is waiting for you…

Watauga County & the North Carolina High Country

North Carolina ranks second in the nation in live Christmas tree production. Here in the North Carolina High Country it is truly an electrifying time of the year! There are thousands of acres of Christmas trees. Sure there’s holly and mistletoe but a Christmas tree is a must have during the holiday season! Christmas trees bring happiness and cheer to the faces of children throughout the nation. Maybe its time to start your family tradition, after all, the holiday season is quickly approaching!

The Watauga County Christmas Tree Association helps promote and educate the public about Christmas trees and their local growers. They also work closely with the Choose & Cut tree farmers to ensure top-quality products and a wonderful experience for their customers. Christmas tree farms send their trees throughout the Carolinas for purchase each year and also have individual sales through their Choose & Cut programs! There are twenty-nine Choose & Cut farms in Watauga County. Each Choose & Cut Christmas tree farm is a little different. All twenty-nine Choose & Cut farms provide Fraser Fir Christmas trees and a select few provide Canaan Fir and White Pine Fir Christmas trees. If you are planning to decorate with garland or wreaths this holiday you can find these items and even a few Christmas shops at some Watauga County Choose & Cut farms. Some farms have put the idea of family first into your Christmas tree hunt experience by having animals, hayrides, sled and pony rides! For more information, or if you have any questions about the Watauga County Christmas Tree Association, please contact them at 828-264-3061.

For years there has been a debate over Real vs. Fake Christmas trees. Here are just a few facts about Real vs. Fake trees that you might want to keep in mind as you make your decision. Real trees are grown on family farms in the United States and Canada, where fake trees are manufactured primarily over-seas. Fake trees are made from petroleum and waste petroleum products and real trees are a nature agricultural crop, grown and harvested. Real Christmas trees are recyclable and fake trees are not.

If you do deicide on a real tree this year there are a few things you can do after the season is over to help out the environment. Real Christmas trees can be recycled. They can be chipped into landscape mulch or sunk into ponds to provide fish with a habitat. Christmas trees can also be returned to the earth and slowly will decompose into nutrients for the soil.

Fraser Firs are the most grown Christmas tree in North Carolina and are native to the Southern Appalachian region. Being native to the area, they flourish in the changing weather conditions found in the High Country. Just like humans, Christmas trees require care to keep them fresh and well hydrated. You must water everyday until the tree slows its water consumption. Just remember a little bit of water goes a long way in preserving your tree!

Farmers begin planting or transplanting seedlings in the spring. Trees usually grow for at least 5 to 6 years in the field, or longer for larger trees. Farmers have several important tasks they must do to ensure a perfect and healthy tree. The three main tasks of a farmer are scouting for insects that may damage or kill the trees, shearing the trees to get the perfect shape, and maintaining the nutrient levels in the soil.

When trees are ready for Choose & Cut they are harvested during a 3 to 4 week period, typically beginning in mid-November. This is typically the time Choose & Cut farms are open, mid November to Christmas Eve. Some Choose & Cut farms are open daily and some are only open on the weekends, so it would be wise to call or visit their websites first before driving to the farm. Please stop by the High Country Host/Visitor’s Center or call for an up-to-date listing of all the Choose & Cut farms in Watauga County and the High Country.

There are many things you might want to consider when choosing the perfect Christmas tree. The number one thing to think about is the room you plan to put your Christmas tree in! The size of the room matters because you don’t want to buy a 10 foot tree for an 8 foot ceiling! Number two is the size of your Christmas tree stand. You may have to cut some of the tree trunk to fit into the stand (a good bow saw will work). Last, but surely not least, how do you plan to transport your tree back home! Most tree farms with provide you with rope of some description but it doesn’t hurt to bring extra just in case. A blanket or old sheet will come in handy if you don’t want it to scratch your vehicle.

If you want to make this a truly memorable experience for you and your loved ones, you might want to turn it into an over-night getaway! If you do plan to stay the night there are numerous hotels in the High Country that provide Choose & Cut Christmas tree packages. For information about tree packages please call the High Country Host/Visitors Center for a list of hotels with Choose & Cut Christmas tree packages.