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December 4 & 5, 2002 Kings Mountain Herald ° Cherryville Eagle © Bessemer City Record Tar Heel Christmas tree facts North Carolina has an esti- mated 50 million Fraser fir Christmas, trees growing on over 25,000 acres. Fraser fir represents over 90% of all species grown in North Carolina. Fraser fir is grown in the far Western North Carolina counties which include Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Haywood - Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga and Yancey. There are over 2,500 North Carolina growers. North Carolina has over 10 Christmas Tree Associations. The North Carolina Christmas Tree Industry is ranked second in the nation in number of trees harvested and first in the nation in terms of dollars made per tree. North Carolina produces over 15% of the Real Christmas Trees in the U.S. The North Carolina Fraser fir has been judged the Nation's best through a con- test sponsored by the National Christmas Tree Association and chosen for the official White House Christmas tree 8 times (more than any other species)....1991, 1973, 1982, 1985, 1991, 1995 and 1997. The North Carolina Fraser fir Christmas tree is the most popular Christmas tree in North America and is shipped into every state in the US. as well as the Caribbean Islands, Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, Japan and other points all over the world. There are over 400 Choose and Cut Christmas tree farms in North Carolina. Currently the number of Christmas trees growing in North Carolina would sup- ply the daily oxygen supply for the entire population of greater Charlotte area. Christmas trees are recy- clable as coastline barriers against erosion, in lakes and ponds for fish nesting and as mulch for gardens. The tree fields also pro- vide “habitat for small wildlife. It takes as many as 12 years to grow a tree of aver- age retail height which is 6-7 feet. For each North Carolina Fraser fir harvested, there is at least one transplant put back in its place. The North Carolina Christmas Tree Association, located in Boone, NC, has nearly 400 members. The association annually publishes a wholesale Buy & Sell Guide each spring, a Choose & Cut Guide each fall and Limbs & Needles, a quarterly magazine for the Southeast Christmas tree industry. National Christmas Tree Facts Real Christmas trees are an all-American product, grown in all 50 states, includ- ing Alaska and Hawaii. There are about 15,000 Christmas tree growers in the U.S. and over 100,000 people who work either part or full time in the Christmas tree industry. It can take as many as 15 years to grow a Christmas tree to maturity, but the average growing time for all species is 7 years. The top Christmas tree producing states are Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and California. Before the 1950s, most family Christmas trees came from the forest. Today over 98% are plantation grown. There are about 1 mil- lion acres of growing Christmas trees. Christmas Trees haven't always been a Christmas Tradition. No one really knows who put up the first Christmas tree, but some historians believe that even the Egyptians and Romans used some form of an evergreen to decorate their homes in late December. It is generally agreed that the first use of a tree as part of the Christian Christmas celebration was started over 400 years ago by the Germans. The Christmas tree was brought to America by the Hessian mercenaries that were paid to fight for the British during the Revolutionary War. In 1804, soldiers stationed at a fort near Chicago hauled trees to their barracks during Christmas. In 1842, a German named Charles Minnegerode intro- duced the custom of deco- rated Christmas trees in Williamsburg, Virginia homes. His tree was described as being “splendidly decorat- ed” with strings of popcorn, nuts, and lighted candles. By 1900, one in five American families decorated trees during Christmas and by 1930, the tree had become a nearly universal part of the American Christmas. Growing and Harvesting Have you ever won- dered where all the Christmas trees that show up on the lots around Thanksgiving come from? These trees are grown on plantations and shipped around the country to retail lots. It takes many years of hard work to produce a tree that is just right to become a Christmas tree. Christmas trees begin their life in a nursery. Here, seeds are taken from cones of mature trees, planted and covered with straw. They are also covered with a shade cloth to prevent them from being damaged by frost or sun. At harvest time, growers identify finished trees by placing a ribbon on them. The ribbons are color coded with each height being assigned a different color. Often a whole field is not ready for sale in any one year. It often takes two to four years before a field is cleared and ready for new trees to be planted. Be Safe With Your Tree Christmas trees do not start fires, people do! Here are some helpful hints so that you and your family can enjoy the Christmas season and your Fraser fir tree to the fullest. 109 Sir Lancelot Fn TP TOAATT-TA35 ww rockcastes com Check all electric lights and connections before deco- rating. Don’t use any lights with worn or frayed cords. NEVER use lighted can- dles on your tree. Don’t overload the electri- cal outlets. Place your tree away from fireplaces, radiators, televi- sion sets, and other heat sources. These elements can prematurely dry out your tree. Always make sure that your tree has plenty of water to prevent drying. ALWAYS turn off all deco- rations before going to bed at night or anytime that you leave home. Sensible precautions like these will help you and your family have a safe and happy holiday season. Source: North Carolina Christmas Tree Association Photo courtesy of NC Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development SRR VRE Overstocked PREVIOUSLY OWNED VEHICLES 2002 BUICK RENDEVOUS ¥21,988 CT OVS Stock #24903, Power Locks, Power Windows! Oade Stock #021226A, Full Power, Local New Car Trade! 16,98 Atloma CLT Stock #24880, 7 Passenger, Full Power gp ELIE eS V- VN a a» S 3 = S 2000 ISUZU AMIGO Sa Ld Stock #0250084, Automatic, Hard Top, Low Miles, total Trade! 1998 OLDSMOBILE ACHIEVA 156,988 =; 4876, Automatic, - X-Tra Clean! Stock #023136A, Full Power, Must Seely Stock #025037A, Automatic, New Car Trade! EE TUE Sis A Prices good day of publication only. Plus tax, tag & $349.50 doc fee. Pictures for illustration purposes only. All units subject to prior sale. After all factory incentives. OAC. www.salenc.com 00’ Mon.-Fri, Sam-8pm Sat. am-6pm SERVICE Mon-Fri 7:30am-6pm Sat. Sam-1pm SCR RAFO6A. ¥8 New Car Trade! Stock #24906, 22,000 Miles, Like New! FIRE REL UE Wee peed TE p10 Sin RIC NT PONTIAC » BUICK » GMC TRUCKS » ISUZU CALL: (704) 824-4567 : 13,988... 1999 HONDA PASSPORT LX *18, 888 for i] 1999 SATURN SL1 Stock #24849, 2 DR Coupe, Automatic, A/C 1999 FORD EXPEDITION 1999 INFINITI G20 Stock 24815, Automatic, CD, Player, [8988 © 3 2001 DODGE INTREPID *9, 488 = jn Sa [UR ssp Stock #24945A. Full Power, Local Trade-in
The Kings Mountain Herald (Kings Mountain, N.C.)
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