Buy Local Christmas Trees

“Freshly cut Christmas trees smelling of stars and snow and pine resin, inhale deeply and fill your soul with wintry night.” – John Geddes

lighted Christmas treeFresh cut Christmas trees look and smell beautiful. But did you ever stop to consider how these and other agricultural products support local businesses and local economies? It’s hard to see the effect directly: you go out, cut your own tree or pick out a tree from a local nursery or garden center. You see other households doing the same, just like selecting produce at the grocery store. But unlike produce at most grocery stores, locally grown Christmas trees are part of a shorter supply chain. In the case of the local cut-your-own tree farm you are paying the grower directly. Or at the garden center, the business has contracted to purchase the trees directly from the grower. Both put more money into the hands of the grower and support local economies.

Side bar stating: "NY Grown and Certified New York is home to about 36,000 family farms that produce some of the world’s best food and agricultural products. Our agricultural industry is one of our great assets, and small farms throughout our state contribute to a resilient food system and flexible local economies. Keeping agriculture thriving is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves and our communities. When you see products with the New York State Grown & Certified seal, you are assured that it comes from a local farm that adheres to high food safety standards and environmentally responsible practices. Learn more about the service mark and what it means by clicking here."To give an example, Putnam County Christmas tree grower, Cockburn Farms in Garrison, depends on the sales of Christmas trees and other agricultural product to make a living.  This income pays for labor, for the services of local contractors, for groceries, and, well, you get the picture: the dollars we spend purchasing these trees trickle into a local New York State economy. Small farms have been shown to create a 2.12 economic multiplier for their local economies in New York State.1 So for every dollar you spend, the money fans out into paying labor or making purchases that keep others employed. In addition to the economic multiplier for local economies, An American Farmland Trust Cost of Community Services study showed that in a local Hudson Valley county, agriculture and agricultural land costs $0.17/Acre in services compared to a home, which requires $1.23 in services

Side Bar text: "Hitchin’ a Ride Invasive pests have been shown to hitch rides in and on solid-wood packing materials, like crates and pallets, in and on trucks and shipping containers, on nursery plants and pots, even on rocks and in soil. State agricultural inspectors conduct over 4,500 inspections a year to detect and prevent the spread of pests, and to certify materials leaving New York State. Inspections can happen at nurseries, farms, sawmills, and any pathway for transmission. But pests are sometimes hard to find, especially when they are larvae deep in solid wood packing materials or when very small or camouflaged. For example, when spotted lanternflies lay their eggs on bark, wood, or stone, the adult covers the eggs with a protective gray coating resembling concrete. This camouflage makes it very hard to see them. That and the fact that they’ll lay their eggs on nearly anything, makes it more likely for them to slip by undetected as they hitch a ride into New York State. Better to limit their accidental spread through thoughtful regulation of products. Learn more about spotted lanternfly and agriculture."Buying New York grown trees also helps reduce the possible transmission of pests from outside of New York State. Trees are harvested in late fall after most insects have gone to sleep for the winter. There is a small possibility that insects may come along for a ride. If they are local insects, they are a short-term problem: swat them or put them outside. But trees from out of our area can potentially carry new pests into our area.

large pinkish insect with black spots
Adult Spotted Lanternfly, Photo Tim Weigle, NYSIPM

A new pest, spotted lanternfly, is currently plaguing Eastern Pennsylvania. This insect lays its eggs on nearly anything: crates, stones, vehicles, trees and other agricultural products. State agricultural inspectors have regulated the movement of products from out of the infested zone to protect New York’s natural and agricultural resources. Transportation of products from outside of our own region or country has caused the introduction of countless invasive insects, other animals, disease-causing pathogens, and plants. If you suspect you have seen spotted lanternfly, or would like to learn more, visit NYS Department of Ag and Markets.

Looking for a local tree? Check out the Christmas Tree Farmers Association of New York’s webpage where you’ll find a farm locator as well as tips for keeping your tree fresh. You will also find a handy review of the species of Christmas trees grown in NYS with their shapes and scents.Side bar text: "Creating habitat with your discarded Christmas tree. You may have seen discarded Christmas trees used to stabilize eroding shorelines. The angular branches hold sand and windblown seaweed so that shore plants can grow and take over the job of stabilization. Did you know you can put old Christmas trees and other brush to good use in your own landscape? Overwintering insects and birds have been shown to take shelter in brush piles. By using the structure of a Christmas tree or dead branches as the base of a brush pile, you create pockets where birds can take shelter on snowy nights, or escape from winged predators like hawks or owls. Try placing your brush pile between habitat features—say, between the wood line and a bird feeder—to create a bridge or island that will provide a safe route. Learn more about creating habitat for birds and insects at the Cornell Lab or Ornithology’s, Habitat Network project. If you are not sure where your tree came from, you can take it to your local municipality to be chipped or shredded. This will help to reduce the spread of unwanted invasives like SLF as well as make the wood and needles easier to compost."2020 has been a tough year for all of us, and as we approach the winter months, we may lean into family traditions and familiar comforts. If a fresh cut Christmas tree is one of your traditions, consider cutting or purchasing a tree from a local grower. You will be helping to build local resilience and make your farmer’s winter a little merrier and brighter, too.

Resources/Sources

Schmit., T.M., Jablonski, B.R., & Mansury, Y. (2016). Assessing the Economic Impacts of Local Food System Producers by Scale: A Case Study from New York. Economic Development Quarterly 30(4), 316-328

New York State Grown and Certified, web: https://certified.ny.gov/ accessed 10/20/20

Habitat Network, Cornell Lab of Ornithology and The Nature Conservancy, accessed via web 10-30-20, https://content.yardmap.org/learn/brushpiles/

Authors

Jen Lerner, CCE Putnam County; Brian Eshenaur and Dr. Elizabeth Lamb, NYSIPM; and Stephanie Radin, NYS Department of Ag & Markets

graphic shows Jen Lerner of Cooperative Extension