agricultural Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled peopl ...

forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. ...

horticultural Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and no ...

pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family (biology), family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanic ...

spruce A spruce is a tree of the genus ''Picea'' (), a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal (taiga) regions of the Earth. ''Picea'' is the sole genus in the subfam ...

Christmas tree A Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen conifer, such as a spruce, pine or fir, or an artificial tree of similar appearance, associated with the celebration of Christmas. The custom was further developed in early modern ...

tree farm In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are u ...

Douglas-fir The Douglas fir (''Pseudotsuga menziesii'') is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Oregon pine, and Columbian pine. There are three va ...

Scots pine ''Pinus sylvestris'', the Scots pine (UK), Scotch pine (US) or Baltic pine, is a species of tree in the pine family Pinaceae that is native to Eurasia. It can readily be identified by its combination of fairly short, blue-green leaves and orang ...

Fraser fir The Fraser fir (''Abies fraseri'') is a species of fir native to the Appalachian Mountains of the Southeastern United States. ''Abies fraseri'' is closely related to ''Abies balsamea'' (balsam fir), of which it has occasionally been treated a ...

Norway spruce ''Picea abies'', the Norway spruce or European spruce, is a species of spruce native to Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. It has branchlets that typically hang downwards, and the largest cones of any spruce, 9–17 cm long. It is very close ...

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

conifer Conifers are a group of cone-bearing seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single extant class, Pinopsida. All ext ...

pests PESTS was an anonymous American activist group formed in 1986 to critique racism, tokenism, and exclusion in the art world. PESTS produced newsletters, posters, and other print material highlighting examples of discrimination in gallery represent ...

harvest Harvesting is the process of gathering a ripe crop from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper. On smaller farms with minimal mechanization, harvesting is the most l ...

Norway spruce ''Picea abies'', the Norway spruce or European spruce, is a species of spruce native to Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. It has branchlets that typically hang downwards, and the largest cones of any spruce, 9–17 cm long. It is very close ...

Trenton, New Jersey Trenton is the capital city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. It was the capital of the United States from November 1 to December 24, 1784.Off to the farm for a Christmas tree
''The New York Times'', December 2, 1990, p. 17. Retrieved September 5, 2007. The commercial market for Christmas trees had started 50 years earlier when a farmer from the

Catskill Mountains The Catskill Mountains, also known as the Catskills, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains, located in southeastern New York. As a cultural and geographic region, the Catskills are generally defined as those areas cl ...

brought trees into

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

to sell.Summers, Will
From Seed to Santa – A Tale of a Christmas Tree
''Oregon Employment Department'', November 28, 2005. Despite these pioneering efforts, most people still obtained wild-grown Christmas trees from forests into the 1930s and 1940s. More trees were grown in plantations after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, and by the 1950s, farmers were shearing and pruning trees to meet customer demands. The Christmas tree market burgeoned through the 1960s and 1970s, but from the late 1980s onward, prices and the market for natural Christmas trees declined. In the early 21st century, nearly 98% of all natural (not artificial) Christmas trees sold worldwide were grown on tree farms.

Cultivation

Land and climate

Christmas tree farms are best located on relatively level land that is free of obstructions. In the past, Christmas tree farmers established their plantations on less desirable agricultural plots or "wastelands of agriculture". However, emphasis in modern Christmas tree farming has shifted toward the production of higher-quality trees, and increasing land quality expectations. Indeed, some species of trees, such as the

Fraser fir The Fraser fir (''Abies fraseri'') is a species of fir native to the Appalachian Mountains of the Southeastern United States. ''Abies fraseri'' is closely related to ''Abies balsamea'' (balsam fir), of which it has occasionally been treated a ...

, are unable to grow on low-quality, marginal farmland.Leuty, Todd
Fraser Fir for Christmas Trees and Landscape Transplants
, ''Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs'' (Ontario), May 1, 2005. Retrieved September 6, 2007. Flat or gently rolling land is preferred to that with steep slopes and inclines, which is prone to

erosion Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as water flow or wind) that removes soil, rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust, and then transports it to another location where it is deposited. Erosion is d ...

and fluctuations in fertility. Noticeable obstructions, such as rocks, fences, or significant underbrush, are also undesirable.Brown, et al., Bulletin 670: Choice of Lands for Christmas Trees. Christmas tree farm IA

Like all crops and plants, Christmas trees require a specific set of nutrients to thrive. Some 16 elements are crucial for growth; of those, three are obtained through air and water:

hydrogen Hydrogen is the chemical element with the symbol H and atomic number 1. Hydrogen is the lightest element. At standard conditions hydrogen is a gas of diatomic molecules having the formula . It is colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-to ...

,

carbon Carbon () is a chemical element with the symbol C and atomic number 6. It is nonmetallic and tetravalent—its atom making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds. It belongs to group 14 of the periodic table. Carbon ma ...

, and

oxygen Oxygen is the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group in the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements ...

.

Nitrogen Nitrogen is the chemical element with the symbol N and atomic number 7. Nitrogen is a nonmetal and the lightest member of group 15 of the periodic table, often called the pnictogens. It is a common element in the universe, estimated at se ...

,

phosphorus Phosphorus is a chemical element with the symbol P and atomic number 15. Elemental phosphorus exists in two major forms, white phosphorus and red phosphorus, but because it is highly reactive, phosphorus is never found as a free element on Ea ...

,

potassium Potassium is the chemical element with the symbol K (from Neo-Latin '' kalium'') and atomic number19. Potassium is a silvery-white metal that is soft enough to be cut with a knife with little force. Potassium metal reacts rapidly with atmos ...

,

calcium Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar ...

,

magnesium Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 of the periodic ...

,

sulfur Sulfur (or sulphur in British English) is a chemical element with the symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant, multivalent and nonmetallic. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with a chemical formul ...

,

boron Boron is a chemical element with the symbol B and atomic number 5. In its crystalline form it is a brittle, dark, lustrous metalloid; in its amorphous form it is a brown powder. As the lightest element of the '' boron group'' it has t ...

,

copper Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pink ...

,

chlorine Chlorine is a chemical element with the symbol Cl and atomic number 17. The second-lightest of the halogens, it appears between fluorine and bromine in the periodic table and its properties are mostly intermediate between them. Chlorine i ...

,

manganese Manganese is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Mn and atomic number 25. It is a hard, brittle, silvery metal, often found in minerals in combination with iron. Manganese is a transition metal with a multifaceted array of ...

,

molybdenum Molybdenum is a chemical element with the symbol Mo and atomic number 42 which is located in period 5 and group 6. The name is from Neo-Latin ''molybdaenum'', which is based on Ancient Greek ', meaning lead, since its ores were confused with lead ...

,

iron Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in ...

, and

zinc Zinc is a chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodi ...

are obtained from the soil. If the necessary elements are not available in the local soil, nutritious fertilizers are used.Hart, et al., ''Christmas Tree Nutrient Management Guide for Western Oregon and Washington''. Other important soil considerations include pH and

drainage Drainage is the natural or artificial removal of a surface's water and sub-surface water from an area with excess of water. The internal drainage of most agricultural soils is good enough to prevent severe waterlogging (anaerobic condition ...

.Johnson, et al., ''Tree Crops for Marginal Farmland: Christmas Trees With a Financial Analysis''. Certain types of soil are preferable, depending on the type of tree.

Pine tree A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden ac ...

s are usually better adapted to a sandy or sandy loam soil, while

white spruce White spruce is a common name for several species of spruce (''Picea'') and may refer to: * ''Picea glauca'', native to most of Canada and Alaska with limited populations in the northeastern United States * ''Picea engelmannii ''Picea engelman ...

trees and fir trees, such as the

Douglas fir The Douglas fir (''Pseudotsuga menziesii'') is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Oregon pine, and Columbian pine. There are three v ...

, prefer fine-texture

loam Loam (in geology and soil science) is soil composed mostly of sand ( particle size > ), silt (particle size > ), and a smaller amount of clay (particle size < ). By weight, its mineral composition is about 40–40–20% concentration of sand–si ...

s and clay loam soils. Some trees grow well in all types of soil, but in any case, the land must be well-drained for a Christmas tree farm to have a chance of thriving.Koelling and Dornbush, ''Growing Christmas Trees in Michigan''. The weather, as with other agricultural endeavors, plays a key outcome in the yield of a Christmas tree farm. Severe cold in the winter and extreme hot and dry conditions during and after harvest can cause irreparable damage to the crop. Early snow can make both harvesting and shipping trees difficult or impossible.Barney and Finnerty, ''Christmas trees is this the crop for you?''.

Labor and equipment

Christmas tree farming is a labor-intensive process. Depending on the quality of the land,

bulldozing A bulldozer or dozer (also called a crawler) is a large, motorized machine equipped with a metal blade to the front for pushing material: soil, sand, snow, rubble, or rock during construction work. It travels most commonly on continuous tracks ...

may need to be undertaken prior to planting, to remove obstacles such as large trees or rocks.Brown, et al., Bulletin 670: ''Plantation Establishment and Management: Preplanting Land Preparation''. If the volume of undergrowth requires it, the soil may be

tilled Tillage is the agricultural preparation of soil by mechanical agitation of various types, such as digging, stirring, and overturning. Examples of human-powered tilling methods using hand tools include shoveling, picking, mattock work, hoein ...

; tilling can help remove any debris remaining after tree or weed removal. Both

woody plant A woody plant is a plant that produces wood as its structural tissue and thus has a hard stem. In cold climates, woody plants further survive winter or dry season above ground, as opposite to herbaceous plants that die back to the ground until sp ...

s and herbaceous weeds must be controlled prior to planting; this is most often done by application of a chemical

herbicide Herbicides (, ), also commonly known as weedkillers, are substances used to control undesired plants, also known as weeds.EPA. February 201Pesticides Industry. Sales and Usage 2006 and 2007: Market Estimates. Summary in press releasMain page f ...

. In addition, some types of

fertilizer A fertilizer (American English) or fertiliser (British English; see spelling differences) is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from ...

s must be introduced into the soil prior to planting. The work done before planting tree

seedling A seedling is a young sporophyte developing out of a plant embryo from a seed. Seedling development starts with germination of the seed. A typical young seedling consists of three main parts: the radicle (embryonic root), the hypocotyl (emb ...

s plays an important role in the overall success of a Christmas tree crop. After the trees are in the ground, work on the crop continues. Animal pests (especially insects) and diseases must be monitored and controlled, and weed growth must also be minimized. Many species of pine and fir require pruning and shearing two to four years after planting to maintain the classic Christmas tree shape. Late or omitted pruning can result in trees that are unmarketable due to large gaps in needle coverage. Some species of pine, such as the

Scots pine ''Pinus sylvestris'', the Scots pine (UK), Scotch pine (US) or Baltic pine, is a species of tree in the pine family Pinaceae that is native to Eurasia. It can readily be identified by its combination of fairly short, blue-green leaves and orang ...

, are susceptible to dormant season "yellowing", which is generally countered with a green dye or paint.Lane, Pirjetta, et al
Christmas tree production in Iowa
(

PDF Portable Document Format (PDF), standardized as ISO 32000, is a file format developed by Adobe in 1992 to present documents, including text formatting and images, in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems. ...

file), Cooperative Extension Service, ''Iowa State University'', December 1992. Retrieved September 6, 2007. The outlay of money on equipment varies greatly. Some items commonly found on Christmas tree farms are

insecticide Insecticides are substances used to kill insects. They include ovicides and larvicides used against insect eggs and larvae, respectively. Insecticides are used in agriculture, medicine, industry and by consumers. Insecticides are claimed t ...

sprayers,

tractor A tractor is an engineering vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort (or torque) at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery such as that used in agriculture, mining or construction. Most commo ...

s, and shaper sheers.Preston, For a Very Merry Christmas, Invest in Trees for the Season. ''International Herald Tribune''. Mechanized planters, at a cost of about US$4,000, are not essential but a work-saving luxury for farmers. Farmers can purchase seedlings, the lifeblood of a Christmas tree farm, from nurseries. One farmer in Oregon purchased seedlings for US$200–300 per 1,000 plants. The farmer, a wholesaler, sold his final products for about $20 each; after the cost of the trees and other expenses, a profit of $2–3 per tree.

Trees

The best-selling species in the North American market are Scots pine, Douglas fir, noble fir, balsam fir, Fraser fir,

Virginia pine ''Pinus virginiana'', the Virginia pine, scrub pine, Jersey pine, Possum pine, is a medium-sized tree, often found on poorer soils from Long Island in southern New York south through the Appalachian Mountains to western Tennessee and Alabama. The ...

, and

eastern white pine ''Pinus strobus'', commonly called the eastern white pine, northern white pine, white pine, Weymouth pine (British), and soft pine is a large pine native to eastern North America. It occurs from Newfoundland, Canada west through the Great Lake ...

, although other types of trees are also grown and sold.Wolford, ''Christmas Tree Facts''.Christmas Tree Facts
, Plant Materials Program, ''National Resources Conservation Service'', December 16, 2003; January 23, 2006. Retrieved September 3, 2007. In

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = " Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,7 ...

, for example, types of trees grown for use as Christmas trees include eastern white pine, redcedar, Virginia pine, Leyland cypress, and

Arizona cypress ''Cupressus arizonica'', the Arizona cypress, is a North American species of tree in the cypress family Cupressaceae, native to the southwestern United States and Mexico. Populations may be scattered rather than in large, dense stands. Descripti ...

.Fischman, Bernice and Tilt, Ken
History of the Christmas Tree
, College of Agriculture - Horticulture, ''Auburn University''. Retrieved July 14, 2007. In

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...

, the

sand pine ''Pinus clausa'' is a species of pine endemic to the Southeastern United States. Its common names include sand pine, Florida spruce pine, Alabama pine, and scrub pine. Distribution The tree is found in two separate locations, one across central ...

and spruce pine are among the 20,000 grown in the state each year.McEleroy, Terance
Florida-Grown Christmas Trees Presented To Governor Bush And Commissioner Bronson
, (

press release A press release is an official statement delivered to members of the news media for the purpose of providing information, creating an official statement, or making an announcement directed for public release. Press releases are also considere ...

), ''Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services'', December 5, 2006. Retrieved September 3, 2007. Norway Spruce Flowers

In Great Britain, Nordmann fir is a popular species, largely due to its needle-holding qualities.Anonymous, ''Metro'' (London), ''Tree shortage threatens Christmas''.Christmas tree
Gardening, ''BBC''. Retrieved 3 September 2007. Other popular trees in Britain are Norway spruce,

Serbian spruce ''Picea omorika'', common name Pančić spruce or Serbian spruce ( sr, Панчићева оморика, Pančićeva omorika, ), is a species of coniferous tree endemic to the Drina River valley in western Serbia, and eastern Bosnia and Herzego ...

, and Scots pine, the last of which is slightly rarer; it has sharp needles that do not shed easily. In the U.S. Pacific Northwest, a major Christmas tree growing region, Douglas fir has always been the primary species grown. A full one-half of all trees produced in the Pacific Northwest are Douglas fir.Bondi, ''An Introduction to Growing Christmas Trees''. Douglas firs typically take five to seven years before they are mature enough to sell as Christmas trees. Also common in the region are noble fir, a tree that commands a higher price than Douglas fir, and grand fir, which accounts for about 10% of the annual harvest in the Northwest. Other species collectively account for only 3–5% of the total Northwest harvest. In

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...

,

Fraser fir The Fraser fir (''Abies fraseri'') is a species of fir native to the Appalachian Mountains of the Southeastern United States. ''Abies fraseri'' is closely related to ''Abies balsamea'' (balsam fir), of which it has occasionally been treated a ...

, grown in the

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. The ...

of

North Carolina North Carolina () is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 28th largest and List of states and territories of the United ...

, has been called the "Cadillac of Christmas Trees", as well as the "most popular and most valuable of Christmas tree species".Vukina, Tomislav, et al. (2001). A Hotelling-Faustmann Explanation of the Structure of Christmas Tree Prices. ''American Journal of Agricultural Economics'' 83 (3): 513-525. In the

Southern United States The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...

, Virginia pine is a popular Christmas tree species. In

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...

, white pine, white spruce, Scots pine, blue spruce, and Fraser fir are commonly cultivated. In the province of

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

, Scots pine has always dominated both the domestic and export markets. Other regions of the world also have different favorites of natural Christmas trees, and Christmas tree farms reflect these; In Europe, Norway spruce is popular.Wolford, ''Tree Types''.

Pests, disease and weeds

Many of the

conifer Conifers are a group of cone-bearing seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single extant class, Pinopsida. All ext ...

species cultivated face infestations and death from such pests as the

balsam woolly adelgid Balsam woolly adelgids (''Adelges piceae'') are small wingless insects that infest and kill firs, especially balsam fir and Fraser fir. They are an invasive species from Europe introduced to the United States around 1900. Because this species ...

, other adelgids, and

aphid Aphids are small sap-sucking insects and members of the superfamily Aphidoidea. Common names include greenfly and blackfly, although individuals within a species can vary widely in color. The group includes the fluffy white woolly aphids. A t ...

s. Invasive insect species, such as the pine shoot beetle and the

gypsy moth ''Lymantria dispar'', also known as the gypsy moth or the spongy moth, is a species of moth in the family Erebidae. ''Lymantria dispar'' is subdivided into several subspecies, with subspecies such as ''L. d. dispar'' and ''L. d. japonica'' bei ...

, also threaten Christmas tree crops.Division of Communications: Untitled story
, ''Outdoor Indiana'', November/December 2006, Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved September 4, 2007. Christmas trees are also vulnerable to fungal pathogens, resulting in such illnesses as

root rot Root rot is a condition in which anoxic conditions in the soil or potting media around the roots of a plant cause them to rot. This occurs due to excessive standing water around the roots. It is found in both indoor and outdoor plants, although ...

, and, in California, Washington, Oregon and British Columbia sudden oak death.Sudden Oak Death (SOD) - Phytophthora ramorum
, ''City of Victoria'' (British Columbia), Parks, Recreation & Community Development: Parks Division. Retrieved 11 September 2007.

Douglas-fir The Douglas fir (''Pseudotsuga menziesii'') is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Oregon pine, and Columbian pine. There are three va ...

trees are especially vulnerable to infections from

plant pathogen Plant pathology (also phytopathology) is the scientific study of diseases in plants caused by pathogens (infectious organisms) and environmental conditions (physiological factors). Organisms that cause infectious disease include fungi, oomy ...

s such as '' R. pseudotsugae'' and '' Rhabdocline weirii''; ''R. weirii'' affects only Douglas fir trees.How To Identify and Control Rhabdocline and Swiss Needlecasts of Douglas-Fir
North Central Forest Experiment Station ''United States Forest Service'', 1983. Retrieved September 7, 2007. The pathogen often makes Douglas fir trees unsaleable as Christmas trees and heavily affects the Christmas tree farming industry.''Cornell University'', Rhabodocline Needlecast (''Rhabdocline weirii''). Mammals such as

deer Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the re ...

,

gophers Pocket gophers, commonly referred to simply as gophers, are burrowing rodents of the family Geomyidae. The roughly 41 speciesSearch results for "Geomyidae" on thASM Mammal Diversity Database are all endemic to North and Central America. They are ...

, and ground squirrels are also threats to Christmas tree crops, due to the damage they cause to roots and buds. Certain species of birds are also considered pests, including the

pine grosbeak The pine grosbeak (''Pinicola enucleator'') is a large member of the true finch family, Fringillidae. It is the only species in the genus ''Pinicola''. It is found in coniferous woods across Alaska, the western mountains of the United States, Can ...

, which feeds on conifer buds,''Christmas Tree Pest Manual''
Index A
Retrieved September 7, 2007. usually affecting Scots pine but also affecting

eastern white pine ''Pinus strobus'', commonly called the eastern white pine, northern white pine, white pine, Weymouth pine (British), and soft pine is a large pine native to eastern North America. It occurs from Newfoundland, Canada west through the Great Lake ...

and

red pine ''Pinus resinosa'', known as red pine (also Norway pine in Minnesota), is a pine native to North America. Description Red pine is a coniferous evergreen tree characterized by tall, straight growth. It usually ranges from in height and in trun ...

, as well as spruce trees.''Christmas Tree Pest Manual''
Shoot/Branch Injury
Retrieved September 7, 2007. Herbaceous

weed A weed is a plant considered undesirable in a particular situation, "a plant in the wrong place", or a plant growing where it is not wanted.Harlan, J. R., & deWet, J. M. (1965). Some thoughts about weeds. ''Economic botany'', ''19''(1), 16-24. ...

s, as well as

woody plant A woody plant is a plant that produces wood as its structural tissue and thus has a hard stem. In cold climates, woody plants further survive winter or dry season above ground, as opposite to herbaceous plants that die back to the ground until sp ...

s, also compete with Christmas tree crops for water and nutrients, necessitating control methods including mowing, chemical

herbicide Herbicides (, ), also commonly known as weedkillers, are substances used to control undesired plants, also known as weeds.EPA. February 201Pesticides Industry. Sales and Usage 2006 and 2007: Market Estimates. Summary in press releasMain page f ...

use, and tilling.

Quality

Christmas tree quality grades have been in place since 1965 in Ontario, Canada, and were included under the provincial Farm Products Grades and Sales Act.Leuty, ''Christmas tree production''. While the grades in Ontario are law, in the United States the grading system is not mandated. In fact, it is common for U.S. growers to develop their own grading systems.Brown, James H., et al
Bulletin 670: Harvesting the Christmas tree crop
''Ohio Christmas Tree Producers Manual'', Ohio State University. Retrieved September 6, 2007. The grading systems established by individual jurisdictions are often in the spirit of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) grading scheme, even if they are not entirely based upon them.Wholesale
''New Hampshire-Vermont Christmas Tree Association'', official site. Retrieved 6 September 2007. The Department of Agriculture's United States Standards for Grades of Christmas Trees took effect on October 30, 1989, covering "sheared or unsheared trees of the coniferous species which are normally marketed as Christmas trees".''United States Department of Agriculture'', "United States Standards for Grades of Christmas Trees".

Harvest

Christmas tree farm customers cut n choose1

Christmas trees can be

harvest Harvesting is the process of gathering a ripe crop from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper. On smaller farms with minimal mechanization, harvesting is the most l ...

ed and marketed in different ways. Some operations are known as "choose-and-cut" or pick-your-own farms, which allow customers to walk through the planted land, select their Christmas tree and cut down themselves. Wholesale operations are more labor-intensive because they usually require the farmer to complete tasks such as baling, cutting, moving the trees to a roadside pick-up, and loading the harvest. In addition, this work must be completed during a very short period in November. Growers also harvest trees by digging and balling the root and selling the trees as nursery stock or as live, reusable Christmas trees. This last option allows trees to be harvested earlier than the usual six- to ten-year period required to grow a mature Christmas tree. Christmas tree farm customer choose n cut farm2

Christmas tree farm customer choose n cut farm2

Larger farms began using helicopters to move tree harvests during the 1980s.Chastagner and Benson, ''The Christmas Tree: Traditions, Production and Diseases''. One farm in Oregon lacked road access, so it began using helicopters to move up to 200,000 Christmas trees per year. Helicopters reduce the amount of time between harvesting and market, cutting it from up to two weeks down to as little as three days.Kalkstein, ''KVAL News Channel 13'' (

Eugene, Oregon Eugene ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, near the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast. As of the 2020 United States Census, ...

), "Christmas tree harvest". Not all natural Christmas trees harvested are grown on plantations. In

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, for ...

, Canada, for example, most of the 900,000 trees harvested for use as Christmas trees came from native pine and fir stands.Christmas Trees
, BC Farm Products A–Z, ''British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Lands''. Retrieved September 7, 2007. The British Columbia Ministry of Forests and Ranges allows any resident of the province to cut a Christmas tree for free from

Crown Land Crown land (sometimes spelled crownland), also known as royal domain, is a territorial area belonging to the monarch, who personifies the Crown. It is the equivalent of an entailed estate and passes with the monarchy, being inseparable from it ...

s, provided the individual receive prior permission in writing from a forest officer.Okanagan Shuswap Forest District
Information on cutting free Christmas Trees for Personal Use, ''British Columbia Ministry of Forests and Ranges''. Retrieved September 10, 2007. In the United States, the

U.S. Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency inc ...

and the

Bureau of Land Management The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior responsible for administering federal lands. Headquartered in Washington DC, and with oversight over , it governs one eighth of the country's ...

offer permits for individual tree cutting on government land, mostly within the National Forest system.Christmas tree permits
, ''United States Forest Service'', December 3, 2000. Retrieved September 10, 2007.

Farmers

The people who operate Christmas tree farms range from full-time growers to part-time farmers. One farmer in

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over t ...

, who began planting Christmas trees in 1967, gave his trees away for free from his modest farm for ten years before establishing a tree farming business.Foster, Jessica
For 37 years, tree farm has built tradition in FL
, ''Forest Lake Times'' ( Forest Lake, Minnesota), December 8, 2004. Retrieved September 4, 2007. Other farmers started growing Christmas trees as a supplemental income for retirement or college funds,Briody, Judy
Family traditions abound at Christmas tree farm
, ''Farragut Press'' (

Farragut, Tennessee Farragut is a suburban town located in Knox and Loudon counties in the State of Tennessee, United States. The town's population was 23,506 at the 2020 census. It is included in the Knoxville Metropolitan Area. The town is named in honor of Hispa ...

), December 16, 2004. Retrieved September 4, 2007.McLeod, Gerald E
Day Trips
''The Austin Chronicle'' (

Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...

), December 12, 2003. Retrieved September 6, 2007. or they worked farms that were not originally established as Christmas tree farms.Zigmond, Jessica
Christmas trees help hog business
''Medill News Service'', Northwestern University, August 17, 1999. Retrieved September 6, 2007.Scott, Julia
Tradition grows at 'perfect' Christmas tree farm
''Oakland Tribune'', December 8, 2006, via FindArticles. Retrieved September 6, 2007. Various national growers' associations have been founded in Christmas tree producing nations. In the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

, the British Christmas Tree Growers Association is a

trade association A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry. An industry trade association partic ...

open to membership from Christmas tree farmers in Great Britain and

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label=Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is #Descriptions, variously described as ...

.British Christmas Tree Growers Association
official site. Retrieved September 6, 2007. The National Christmas Tree Association serves a similar function in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

.About Us
, ''National Christmas Tree Association'', official site. Retrieved September 6, 2007.

Environmental effect

In the United States, the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA) promotes the environmental benefits of live Christmas trees over the competing artificial alternative. The NCTA stated that every acre of Christmas trees in production produced the daily

oxygen Oxygen is the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group in the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements ...

requirement for 18 people; with in production in the U.S. alone, that amounts to oxygen for 9 million people per day. The NCTA also stated that the farms help to stabilize the soil, protect water supplies and provide wildlife habitat.''National Christmas Tree Association'', "Real Christmas Trees are a Benefit to the Environment". In addition, the industry points to the reduction of carbon dioxide through Christmas tree farming.Hickman, "Is it OK ... to get a Christmas tree?" An independent Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study, conducted by a firm of experts in sustainable development, states that a natural tree will generate 3.1 kg of

greenhouse gases A greenhouse gas (GHG or GhG) is a gas that absorbs and emits radiant energy within the thermal infrared range, causing the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere are water vapor (), carbon dioxide (), methane ...

whereas the artificial tree will produce 8.1 kg per year.Ellipsos Inc.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Christmas trees, A study ends the debate over which Christmas tree, natural or artificial, is most ecological
", December 16, 2008; accessed online September 22, 2009. A 1998 report from the

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. It ...

Agricultural Experiment Station An agricultural experiment station (AES) or agricultural research station (ARS) is a scientific research center that investigates difficulties and potential improvements to food production and agribusiness. Experiment station scientists work with ...

predicted increasing environmental concerns about tree production and use as one possible reason people may favor artificial trees in the future. The report cited the use of

fertilizer A fertilizer (American English) or fertiliser (British English; see spelling differences) is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from ...

s and

pesticide Pesticides are substances that are meant to control pests. This includes herbicide, insecticide, nematicide, molluscicide, piscicide, avicide, rodenticide, bactericide, insect repellent, animal repellent, microbicide, fungicide, and ...

s and increasing concerns regarding tree disposal as the chief elements in its prediction.Koelling, Melvin R., et al
Christmas Tree Production in Michigan
, Agricultural Experiment Station, ''Michigan State University'', July 28, 1998. Retrieved September 3, 2007. Critics of tree farming have raised the concerns highlighted in the 1998 report, as well as other issues, such as the effect that large-scale tree farming operations have on

biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic ('' genetic variability''), species ('' species diversity''), and ecosystem ('' ecosystem diversity'') ...

. Pesticide use on Christmas tree farms is one of the main concerns of environmentalists;Sidebottom, ''Frequently Asked Questions about Christmas Tree Farms and Pesticides''. fir trees are vulnerable to a wide array of pests and diseases which requires the use of pesticides and other chemicals including the widely used herbicide glyphosate. Glyphosate is commonly used in Christmas tree production in the U.S. state of North Carolina, where studies have found traces of agricultural chemicals in homes and tree industry workers' urine samples. The average Christmas tree receives roughly a half of an ounce (14 g) of pesticide over its lifetime. The BBC's "Gardening" website called buying Christmas trees directly from the farm, "the most environmentally friendly way of getting a tree". Other positive environmental attributes have been given live Christmas trees as well. Researchers at the

University of Nebraska A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United State ...

included the reuse of natural Christmas trees as

mulch A mulch is a layer of material applied to the surface of soil. Reasons for applying mulch include conservation of soil moisture, improving fertility and health of the soil, reducing weed growth and enhancing the visual appeal of the area. A mu ...

and, in larger quantities, piled up as

soil erosion Soil erosion is the denudation or wearing away of the upper layer of soil. It is a form of soil degradation. This natural process is caused by the dynamic activity of erosive agents, that is, water, ice (glaciers), snow, air (wind), plants, a ...

barriers, among the benefits of live tree use.Wilson, Jon
Keep Christmas Trees Fresh and Safe
, West Central Research & Extension Center, ''University of Nebraska'', 4 December 2000. Retrieved 3 September 2007. Other positive reuses included fish habitat in private ponds and backyard bird feeders.

Research

Since 2004, several researchers at

Oregon State University Oregon State University (OSU) is a public land-grant, research university in Corvallis, Oregon. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate-degree programs along with a variety of graduate and doctoral degrees. It has the 10th largest engineering ...

's (OSU) College of Forestry have researched various aspects of Christmas tree cultivation. In the Department of Forest Resources, Rick Fletcher is researching Christmas tree

genetics Genetics is the study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity in organisms.Hartl D, Jones E (2005) It is an important branch in biology because heredity is vital to organisms' evolution. Gregor Mendel, a Moravian Augustinian friar work ...

, fertilization and disease management, while Chad Landgren is concentrating his emphasis on Christmas tree genetics and disease management. Both men are doing their research in the

Silviculture Silviculture is the practice of controlling the growth, composition/structure, and quality of forests to meet values and needs, specifically timber production. The name comes from the Latin ('forest') and ('growing'). The study of forests and wo ...

and

Ecology Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overl ...

Section of the department.Silviculture and Ecology
, Department of Forest Resources, ''Oregon State University'' College of Forestry. Retrieved September 10, 2007. In OSU's Department of Forest Science, Mike Bondi is conducting ongoing research into Christmas tree fertilization, productivity and genetics, as well as natural and artificial regeneration systems.Current Research of 2004
''Oregon State University'' College of Forestry. Retrieved September 10, 2007. During the mid-1990s, the trio's research was primarily focused on creating better Christmas tree seed stock, resulting in a higher percentage of quality mature trees, through genetic improvements.Rost, Bob

, (

Press release A press release is an official statement delivered to members of the news media for the purpose of providing information, creating an official statement, or making an announcement directed for public release. Press releases are also considere ...

), ''Oregon State University'', News and Communications Services, December 9, 1996. Retrieved September 10, 2007. Similar research has been conducted by the

Agricultural Experiment Station An agricultural experiment station (AES) or agricultural research station (ARS) is a scientific research center that investigates difficulties and potential improvements to food production and agribusiness. Experiment station scientists work with ...

at

New Mexico State University New Mexico State University (NMSU or NM State) is a public land-grant research university based primarily in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest public institution of higher education in New Mexico and one of the state's ...

.Christmas Tree Research and Forest Genetics
, Agricultural Experiment Station, ''New Mexico State University'', 2006. Retrieved September 10, 2007. U.S. institutions in other Christmas tree producing locales have also undertaken their own research programs. North Carolina State University has several full-time staff dedicated to all aspects of tree production. Specialties at N.C. State cross several academic departments and range from a Christmas tree

genetics Genetics is the study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity in organisms.Hartl D, Jones E (2005) It is an important branch in biology because heredity is vital to organisms' evolution. Gregor Mendel, a Moravian Augustinian friar work ...

program to providing material support for growers in areas such as

sustainable agriculture Sustainable agriculture is farming in sustainable ways meeting society's present food and textile needs, without compromising the ability for current or future generations to meet their needs. It can be based on an understanding of ecosystem ser ...

and pest management.Christmas Tree Research and Extension
", ''North Carolina State University'', Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, accessed April 16, 2007. The Christmas Tree Research Center in Bible Hill,

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

does research on

Balsam fir ''Abies balsamea'' or balsam fir is a North American fir, native to most of eastern and central Canada (Newfoundland west to central Alberta) and the northeastern United States (Minnesota east to Maine, and south in the Appalachian Mountains to ...

s for Canadian producers.

Industry classification

Activities related to the cultivation of Christmas trees require cross-disciplinary (

forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. ...

,

horticulture Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and no ...

, and

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people ...

) skills and fall into different specialty categories. Under the terms of Title 29 of the

United States Code In the law of the United States, the Code of Laws of the United States of America (variously abbreviated to Code of Laws of the United States, United States Code, U.S. Code, U.S.C., or USC) is the official compilation and codification of the ...

, which defines federal regulations pertaining to the

United States Department of Labor The United States Department of Labor (DOL) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It is responsible for the administration of federal laws governing occupational safety and health, wage and hour standards, unemploy ...

, Christmas tree planting, tending and cutting are specifically not "farming operations".29 CFR 780.208 - Forest and Christmas tree activities
, Title 29, Chapter 5, Section 780.208, Code of Federal Regulations, ''United States Department of Labor''. Retrieved September 10, 2007. The U.S.

Farm Service Agency The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is the United States Department of Agriculture agency that was formed by merging the farm loan portfolio and staff of the Farmers Home Administration (FmHA) and the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service ...

(FSA) does not provide federal crop insurance for Christmas tree crops, however, there is an alternative program, through the FSA, which provides assistance for non-insured crops.Farm Service Agency
,

' , Office of Communications, ''United States Department of Agriculture'', 1997, p. 4. Retrieved September 10, 2007. The

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, responsible for the Agriculture Census until 1997, excluded Christmas tree farms as farms from its reports. When the Census of Agriculture authority was shifted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1997 the differences in definition were resolved and the Census of Agriculture included Christmas tree farms.Hoppe. Robert A. and Korb, Penni
Farm Numbers: Largest Growing Fastest
, (

PDF Portable Document Format (PDF), standardized as ISO 32000, is a file format developed by Adobe in 1992 to present documents, including text formatting and images, in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems. ...

file), ''Agricultural Outlook'', October 2002, pp. 24–27, ''Economic Research Service'', United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved September 7, 2007. The status of Christmas tree farms as actual, by definition,

farms A farm (also called an agricultural holding) is an area of land that is devoted primarily to agricultural processes with the primary objective of producing food and other crops; it is the basic facility in food production. The name is used fo ...

, and their products thus agricultural in nature, has evolved in the various government agencies responsible for such categorization. In both Canada, and the United States the governments take a regular Census of Agriculture, reporting in these censuses relies on the classifications. Beginning in 1996, the

Canadian government The government of Canada (french: gouvernement du Canada) is the body responsible for the federal administration of Canada. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown is the corporation sole, assuming distinct roles: the executive, as the ''Crown-in ...

included Christmas tree farms in its Census of Agriculture concerning the issue of net farm income and farm cash receipts. The changes also included the addition of egg hatcheries to the census. The results were

marginal Marginal may refer to: * ''Marginal'' (album), the third album of the Belgian rock band Dead Man Ray, released in 2001 * ''Marginal'' (manga) * '' El Marginal'', Argentine TV series * Marginal seat or marginal constituency or marginal, in polit ...

with net cash farm income rising just 0.1 percent.Net Farm Income
, Agriculture Economic Statistics, ''Statistics Canada'', May 2007. Retrieved 7 September 2007. In the United Kingdom, Christmas trees do not fall into the category of enterprises included in farm profits.''HM Revenue & Customs'', ''Nurseries and Market Gardens - definition''. Instead, Christmas tree farms are classified as " market gardens". Market gardens are defined separately from farming and are nurseries or gardens used for the sale of produce other than

hops Hops are the flowers (also called seed cones or strobiles) of the hop plant '' Humulus lupulus'', a member of the Cannabaceae family of flowering plants. They are used primarily as a bittering, flavouring, and stability agent in beer, to w ...

. However, in

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label=Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is #Descriptions, variously described as ...

, some Christmas trees are cultivated and harvested by the Forest Service.Forest Fresh Christmas Trees
, ''Forest Service'' (Northern Ireland), United Kingdom Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Retrieved September 10, 2007.

Cultural significance

In the United States, visits to Christmas tree farms have become a Christmas holiday tradition for people. Christmas tree farms have embraced this trend; at one Minnesota tree farm it has become tradition for customers to pose for snapshots with their trees, when they return in subsequent years they can check the "wall of memories" for their photo. Other tree farms have served the same families for multiple generations, becoming a part of each group's holiday traditions.Long, Tom
N.H. family's donation preserves Christmas tree tradition
''The Boston Globe'', 23 August 2007. Retrieved 4 September 2007. In 2006,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

state Agriculture Commissioner Patrick H. Brennan, supported the virtues of purchasing Christmas trees from local Christmas tree farms.Chittenden, Jessica A
Commissioner urges consumers to buy New York Christmas trees
, (

Press release A press release is an official statement delivered to members of the news media for the purpose of providing information, creating an official statement, or making an announcement directed for public release. Press releases are also considere ...

), ''New York State Department of Agriculture'', 7 December 2006. Retrieved 4 September 2007. In a statement released to support New York Christmas tree growers he stated, Some tree farms offer more than just a chance to cut down a live Christmas tree. Outdoor and holiday themed activities are not uncommon and include wagon rides, offering

hot cocoa Hot chocolate, also known as hot cocoa or drinking chocolate, is a heated drink consisting of shaved chocolate, melted chocolate or cocoa powder, heated milk or water, and usually a sweetener like whipped cream or marshmallows. Hot chocolat ...

or

cider Cider ( ) is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of apples. Cider is widely available in the United Kingdom (particularly in the West Country) and the Republic of Ireland. The UK has the world's highest per capita consumption, ...

,

Santa Claus Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring children gifts during the late evening and overnigh ...

visits and holiday crafts.Go to a Christmas tree farm to relive, make, keep memories
, ''Tennessee.gov'', 13 November 2006. Retrieved 4 September 2007. Many tree farms actively encourage schools to sponsor field trips to the farms. One grower in Kansas contended that usual worries for businesses, such as a tight economy, do not affect Christmas tree farms. The grower thought that obtaining a tree from a Christmas tree farm was something that almost nothing could stop; an activity that transcended the economy and the weather.Krug, Nick
Tradition clashes with economy
''The Topeka Capital Journal'' (

Topeka, Kansas Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central U ...

), 2 December 2002, via FindArticles. Retrieved 4 September 2007.

Notes

References

* Anonymous
Tree shortage threatens Christmas
''Metro'' (London), November 28, 2006. Retrieved September 3, 2007. * Barney, D.L., and Finnerty, T.L
Christmas trees is this the crop for you?
(

PDF Portable Document Format (PDF), standardized as ISO 32000, is a file format developed by Adobe in 1992 to present documents, including text formatting and images, in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems. ...

), Alternative Agricultural Enterprises, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, ''University of Idaho'', June 1995. Retrieved September 3, 2007. * Bondi, Mike
An Introduction to Growing Christmas Trees
Oregon State University Extension Service, ''Oregon State University'', via Washington State University. Retrieved September 4, 2007. * Brown, James H., et al

''Ohio Christmas Tree Producers Manual'', Ohio State University. Retrieved August 25, 2007. * Brown, James H., et al

''Ohio Christmas Tree Producers Manual'', Ohio State University. Retrieved August 25, 2007. * Chastagner, Gary A., and Benson, D. Michael
The Christmas Tree: Traditions, Production and Diseases
''Plant Management Network International'', (authors from North Carolina State University and Washington State University), October 13, 2001. Retrieved September 4, 2007. * ''Cornell University''

Department of Plant Pathology. Retrieved September 7, 2007. * Day, Eric

Insect Identification Laboratory, Department of Entomology, ''Virginia Tech'', January 2002. Retrieved September 3, 2007.
Christmas tree
, Gardening, ''BBC''. Retrieved September 3, 2007. * Hart, John, et al
Christmas Tree Nutrient Management Guide for Western Oregon and Washington

PDF
, OSU Extension Service, ''Oregon State University'', February 2004. Retrieved September 3, 2007. * Hickman, Leo

''Guardian'' (UK), December 6, 2005. Retrieved September 3, 2007. * ''HM Revenue & Customs''

Business Income Manual
Contents
, BIM62601, 2003–2007. Retrieved September 10, 2007. * Johnson, James E. et al

Virginia Cooperative Extension, ''Virginia Tech'', March 1997. Retrieved September 3, 2007. * Kalkstein, Meghan

''KVAL News Channel 13'' (

Eugene, Oregon Eugene ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, near the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast. As of the 2020 United States Census, ...

), November 18, 2006. Retrieved September 5, 2007. * Koelling, Melvin and Dornbush, Laurie J
Growing Christmas Trees in Michigan
Forestry Area Of Expertise (AOE) Team, Michigan State University Extension, ''Michigan State University''. Retrieved September 6, 2007. * Leuty, Todd

''Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs'', March 26, 1999; July 31, 2003. Retrieved September 3, 2007. * ''National Christmas Tree Association''
Real Christmas Trees are a Benefit to the Environment
. Retrieved September 3, 2007. * Preston, Holly Hubbard
For a Very Merry Christmas, Invest in Trees for the Season
, ''International Herald Tribune'', December 23, 2000. Retrieved September 3, 2007. * Schmitz, John

''The Capital Press'', June 28, 2002, via Washington State University. Retrieved September 3, 2007. * Sidebottom, Jill R

Mountain Horticultural Crops Research & Extension Center, ''North Carolina State University'', October 30, 2006. Retrieved September 3, 2007. * ''United States Department of Agriculture'',
Christmas Tree Pest Manual
', Michigan State University Extension, 1997–1998. Retrieved September 7, 2007. * ''United States Department of Agriculture''
United States Standards for Grades of Christmas Trees
(

PDF Portable Document Format (PDF), standardized as ISO 32000, is a file format developed by Adobe in 1992 to present documents, including text formatting and images, in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems. ...

file), Agricultural Marketing Service, October 30, 1989, reprinted January 1997. Retrieved September 6, 2007. * ''University of California, Berkeley''
A Christmas Tree Grower's Guide to Sudden Oak Death (Phytophthora ramorum)
, (

PDF Portable Document Format (PDF), standardized as ISO 32000, is a file format developed by Adobe in 1992 to present documents, including text formatting and images, in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems. ...

file), College of Natural Resources, November 20, 2006. Retrieved September 3, 2007. * Wolford, Ron
Christmas Tree Facts
Christmas Trees & More, ''University of Illinois''. Retrieved August 25, 2007. * Wolford, Ron

Christmas Trees & More, ''University of Illinois''. Retrieved September 3, 2007.

External links

Attack of the Mutant Artificial Trees
Flash game, from the NCTA
Canadian Christmas Tree Growers Association
Canada *
Christmas Tree Magazine
',

trade publication A trade magazine, also called a trade journal or trade paper (colloquially or disparagingly a trade rag), is a magazine or newspaper whose target audience is people who work in a particular trade or industry. The collective term for thi ...

British Christmas Tree Growers Association
Great Britain
National Christmas Tree Association
United States

{{DEFAULTSORT:Christmas Tree Cultivation Cultivation

History

Cultivation

Land and climate

Labor and equipment

Trees

Pests, disease and weeds

Quality

Harvest

Farmers

Environmental effect

Research

Industry classification

Cultural significance

See also

Notes

References

External links