This year, 2010, is the 500th anniversary of the first recorded use of a Christmas tree.  The tradition apparently started in Riga, Latvia in the year 1510.  In honor of this event Helen made a wall hanging or table runner which was raffled off at the recent National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA) convention as a fundraiser for the Christmas Spirit Foundation.

The foundation was established by NCTA to help sponser programs which benefit kids, families, and the environment.  Currently it’s largest program is the Trees for Troops program now entering it’s sixth year.

More information can be found at:

    www.ChristmasSpiritFoundation.org

    www.TreesForTroops.org

Phil, Helen, and Greg  attended the two day MNCTA field days held this year at Turck’s Tree Farm near Litchfield.  As opposed to the more marketing oriented convention held in February (see earlier post), the summer convention is heavily focused on the growing aspects of Christmas trees.

We had specialists in diseases, insects, and plant pathology from the University of Minnesota walk through the fields with us to help identify issues and corrective actions.  We also had equipment demonstrations by several vendors.  Helen also attended a wreath making session.

People often ask us how did we learn to grow trees.  The short answer is through meetings such as this where you can meet and discuss problems with the experts and, most importantly, share your experiences with other growers.  The long answer is now 27 years long–we planted our first trees in 1983.

We now have a new mascot.  Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) he’ll be sleeping somewhere when you come to visit us at Christmas so you won’t see him around.

The Blue Spruce are great, but I think I'll look around some more.

Maybe I'll just bypass the Balsam Fir for now.

Think I'll cross the creek and instead check out the Fraser Fir.

Every Spring we commit ourselves to staying in business another 10-12 years and this Spring is no different.  Our seedlings arrived in mid-April and we spent the next couple of weeks planting.  We are now done with that and are now mulching each new tree.  The next job is to get the drip irrigation connected up.  Below are before, during, and after photos.

If you have been to the farm at Christmas and seen the postors you know we participate in the Christmas Spirit Foundation Trees for Troops program.  The results for last year (2009) are now in.

• Christmas tree growers nationwide donated 16,651 trees!
• There were about 800 participating farms from 29 states.
• Trees were delivered (by Fed Ex) to 52 military bases representing all branches.  In addition, 280 trees were delivered to Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Minnesota trees including those from Pinestead Tree Farms were delivered 
to Ft. Campbell, Kentucky.

More information can be found at:

        www.christmasspiritfoundation.org

        www.treesfortroops.org

We attended the Minnesota Christmas Tree Association winter conference last weekend.  It is held each year about this time (a summer convention is also held each July—more on that at that time).  The winter conference is focused on presentations and panels while the summer conference is focused on field activities.  This year we had both private industry and Univ. of Minn. speakers on topics as diverse as current economic conditions, business fundamentals, and web site requirements.

Helen especially liked a seminar on wreath making in which the speakers demonstrated making square wreaths for framing a window.  My favorite was the round table discussion sessions where growers could share insights and respond to the questions and concerns of other growers.  Spending time with fellow Christmas Tree growers always psychs me up for the spring planting season which is now only a little over a month away.

Guess which one is old enough to know that Santa can bring good things?

Today was the first day of what we call our “pre-opening” weekend–the weekend before Thanksgiving. We use this weekend to work all the bugs out ahead of our big opening on Thanksgiving Friday. Of course there is a lot of “where’s this”,
“can’t find that”, “how do you”, and “this doesn’t work”. But one-by-one all systems are a go for next week.

This afternoon we had a woman come in to buy a Colorado Blue Spruce. Since it is a little early in the season for a Blue Spruce, we got to talking to her. Turns out she bought one here last year on the same Saturday before Thanksgiving and had it up through the new year holidays–without it sheading needles! The secret to her success was placing a small humidifier under the tree.

We always tell people to keep the tree well watered and don’t put it next to a heat source. We have never thought to say put the tree by a moisture source (or put a moisture source by it). It’s supprising how often and how much we are learning from our customers at the same time they are, hopefully, learning from us.

Welcome to the first post of the our new blog!

Our new blog is also part of our totally redesigned web site at www.pinesteadchristmastrees.com. Also be sure to sign up for our new 
e-newsletter which replaces the post cards we previously sent out at Christmas.  We won’t pester you with lots of e-mail.  Our thinking is a spring, summer, fall newsletter with a focus on caring for the evergreen trees in your yard.  Plus a  November newletter with Christmas season events, specials, and coupons.

New this year!  In addition to the trees in the field which, of course, are now taller and fuller, we have expanded our pre-cut selection.  We also have several new crafters with new items in the gift shop.  We have added a toboggan “lunch counter” for the fire pit.  We have also added a new “Tobaggan Race” photo op.

Almost forgot to mention the most important “new”–two additional staff.  One in January and one in May.  Both will be in trainee status for quite a few years, but will no doubt be doing some light duty with the photo ops.

We will have all the photo ops, including the ” Tobaggan Race”, “Priceless Presents”, and all the other displays and sleds set up for the pre-Thanksgiving Saturday and Sunday (November 21 & 22).  More and more familys are coming out early to take photos for their Christmas Cards.   No purchase is necessary, but–just in case–the gift and wreath shop will be open and you can cut your tree 
as well.  If you do use one of our photo ops as a backdrop for your Christmas card be sure to send one to us.  We’ll display them in the gift shop.