09/20/2024
Over the last decade of tree farming, I’ve heard all kinds of comments about our work. Most are supportive, but some make me laugh out loud. One of the funniest was, “Wow, this must be so easy: 1.) Plant the tree, 2.) Let it grow, 3.) Someone else cuts it down, 4.) You get paid, and 5.) A new tree just pops up!” If only it were that simple!
Now I did laugh out loud when I was told that but then I quickly remembered one of the most important responsibilities we have as farmers. That is to educate people on what it takes to produce an agricultural product. That is part of our job because many people do not get to see the “behind the scenes” of farming no matter what type it is. During the summer months the work on the farm is far from over. In reality it’s when some of the most labor intensive work takes place like trimming – or as we call it, “haircut season.”
Christmas trees don’t naturally grow into a perfect cone shape. It takes years of careful trimming to shape them just right. We start with the leader branch, making precise cuts to encourage balanced growth. Next is the trees lateral branches aka the side branches. Trimming the side branches is where the shape game really comes into play. You don’t wanna take too much and you don’t wanna take too little! While trimming your imagining a cone trying to maintain a proper taper so the tree is uniform all the way around.
This Christmas when you’re picking out the perfect tree, take a look at some of the precise cuts that have been made over the years. There is a method that goes into Christmas tree trimming we strive to provide you with the very best and healthiest trees for years to come!
Check out our story for some video clips!
