If there's one thing you can count on my Husband for, it's honoring holiday traditions. Christmas is no exception. We will never know the joys of a pre-lit tree here. No, we must make our annual trek two counties over each year to find the perfect tree. As ill fated as those trips may be.
The kids have fallen in muddy two foot holes over the years. We've risked frost bite in zero degree temperatures. The tree has fallen off our car a few times on the ride home. Once, we forgot to pay the farmer and had to drive almost the whole way back. And of course, as the kids have gotten older, they've pretty much refused to go along, no matter how much "fun" we claim we'll have. Last year, we wandered around for over an hour looking for a tree that didn't resemble Charlie Brown's. We've just about exhausted our choices of tree farms in this area. I guess it's not a very profitable business, as so many of them have quit planting new trees.
Well, I didn't marry a quitter. No sir. Husband cooked up a new plan. We've got a big lot. Why not grow our own evergreens? That way, we can just mosey on back with a saw, cut one down, and drag it up the hill to our deck door.
He ordered 25 assorted trees (Colorado Blue Spruce, Balsam Fir, Douglas Fir, Fraser Fir, Scotch Pine and White Pine) of various ages from a nursery in Wisconsin. They arrived last week and we spent a good part of Saturday afternoon planting them. Above, you will see the largest of the group. Below is just a sample of what the rest of the trees look like (yes, you will only see wire fencing and a stake because that is how tiny the seedlings are).
Cool! I admire your husband's determination. And I think you'll be surprised by how fast evergreens grow.
ReplyDeleteAnd you wouldn't know it from the tree farms around here, that there's anything wrong with the Christmas-tree biz. . .
I like it. Of course, they'll all be ready in the same few years, but mabe you could sell some of them?
ReplyDeleteYour husband's got spunk! And I kind of hope that, come the holidays, he decides to go out there and light them all and decorate them, because I think that would look stunning!
ReplyDeleteI think they will grow a bit more quickly than you think. I have some Leyland Cypress (not really a Christmas tree, but some use it for that) that have grown from chopstick sized to taller than me (6'4") in about five years.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I, like FADKOG, was going to make a complimentary comment about your husband's spunk, but I thought better of it. . .
ReplyDeletehaving grown up with artificial trees i am a total sucker for the chopping of a fresh one. although i must admit my mind flashed to the scene of chevy chase in "christmas vacation" when you described the tenacity. i like the personal tree farm idea though.
ReplyDeleteThat's actually pretty cool.
ReplyDeleteAnd um, I'm no evergreen afficionado or anything, but don't trees take YEARRRRS to get big?
Maybe you'll have some for the grandbabies, if nothin' else. ;)
And at any rate, I think you should trek some lights out to the yard and light 'em all up THIS Christmas. lol
Desmond - I can't think of your state without thinking of Bronner's; but anyway, the mom & pop farms around here seem to be done for. Only the biggies (where you pay exhorbitant fees to ride a hay wagon and cut down your tree) are still in business.
ReplyDeleteCitizen - Maybe they can fund our retirement years.
FADKOG - I fear putting a string of lights on those Charlie Brown trees will cause them to topple, just like in the show.
Russ - We have a few evergreens that the kids got at school on "tree day" and honestly, they've only grown about 2 feet in the past 8 years.
Lime - Many years, I feel as though I'm in a Chevy Chase movie. In fact, my family vacations as a child were similar and I should post about a few of them.
LB - I'm hoping to live in Arizona where I can decorate a cactus for Xmas by the time grandchildren arrive.
I remember one year -- as a child -- my grandparents planting evergreens at their cottage at the lake and my grandma insisting on throwing a dead fish in each hole we dug before planting the tree. For fertilizer, she said.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if that was a crackpot idea, or not, but the trees did grow pretty fast. :)
Way to think ahead of the curve. With the recession continuing until... You'll be set for Christmas for years to come....
ReplyDeleteI like that man, I do! We cut nearly every year (have had a few emergency and illness years that precluded cutting) but are fortunate to have several quality growers at reasonable prices.
ReplyDeleteThe fish thing is the key, not specifically but mention to him to make sure to fertilize them well for proper growth.
Good man ya got there!
Flutter - That is an interesting childhood memory!
ReplyDeleteMike - You are correct. We paid $60 for the 25 seedlings, but spend about $45 per tree each year.
Xavier - We have fertilized and followed Jim Bob's directions that came in the box.
Sweet, directions and everything!
ReplyDeleteJust keep them buggers in sight, we had a neighbor when I was growing up that planted decorative evergreen trees in his front yard that he doted over and maintaind for several years until some slob cut 'em down and stole 'em just before Christmas!
Sorry, I've been missing, but I'm guessing you understand.
ReplyDeleteJust read the last few posts and I'm laughing at the return of the college girl (I'm merely HOPING that will happen to me) and thinking, "I need to go see 17 Again" with Younger and smiling at the story of you meeting the husband.