Shop Local - Even for Your Holiday Tree!

Listen in to hear all the benefits for purchasing a real locally grown holiday tree. John Krueger, a Minnesota Christmas tree grower, and Rachel Wandrei of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's Minnesota Grown program give tips and tricks to shopping local and caring for your holiday tree.

Smarty Plants is a podcast of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Visit www.mda.state.mn.us/plants-insects/smarty-plants for more episodes. Look for a new episode of Smarty Plants every month.

Transcript

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Jennifer Burington: 0:21

Welcome to Smarty Plants, a Minnesota Department of Agriculture podcast, informing the public about invasive species that affect our environment and agricultural resources. My name is Jennifer Burington, and I will be your host. The holiday season is right around the corner and it is time to pull out the holiday decor from storage and start thinking about purchasing our holiday greens Minnesota Christmas tree Grower John Krueger is here to discuss the benefits of real locally grown trees. Rachel Wandrei from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture also joins us to give us some good options for finding local trees. John's family has been raising and selling Christmas trees in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota since 1954. Krueger Christmas Tree Farm has grown steadily over the last 70 years by providing quality trees and authentic farm experience and great customer service. Having grown up in the business, he has learned most of the ins and outs and highs and lows of Christmas tree farming. John has also embraced values of hard work, patience, and persistence that are needed to be successful. Additionally, he has been an active member of the Minnesota Christmas Tree Association over the last nine years, including two years as president. Rachel Wandrei is the marketing manager for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's, Minnesota Grown Program, a buy local program with a mission to promote quality Minnesota grown products for the mutual benefit of consumers and producers. Rachel oversees statewide advertising, public relations, and other consumer facing initiatives to help members of the public who want to shop local. She's a lifelong real Christmas tree buyer who started collecting ornaments as a child and is delighted that her job includes coordinating the annual holiday tree for display at the state capital Rotunda. Thanks for joining me, John and Rachel. My pleasure.

John Krueger: 2:07

Thanks for having us.

Jennifer Burington: 2:09

So to get started, um, in the middle of the last century, like artificial Christmas trees were heavily promoted as permanent holiday decorations. But in recent decades, real live Christmas trees have. Really made a comeback. So can you tell us what we mean when we talk about, um, a real Christmas tree?

John Krueger: 2:32

A real Christmas tree is a, a tree that was raised either on a farm or on a forest. Most of them are, are farmed. Here domestically. Um, the majority of trees are grown on the coast, so West coast and east coast. Um, but quite a few are in, also grown in, uh, upper Midwest Minnesota is in the top five to six of number of Christmas trees grown. So we're definitely a player in the national market. Um, and there's approximately a hundred some Christmas tree farms in Minnesota. Most are part of the Minnesota Christmas Tree Association. And, uh, majority of the trees that are sold here within the state are grown here, especially the ones that are from local farms. Uh, some farms are, uh, just a retail lot with char own. Others in the northern part of the state have, uh, more of a wholesale model where they have a lot of land and not a lot of people. And so they'll sell their trees to, uh, farms and, and lots near the cities where we have people, but not the land.

Jennifer Burington: 3:29

Perfect. And what are some of the benefits of purchasing a real tree instead of an artificial one?

Rachel Wandrei: 3:36

Yeah, I can start with that one. There are so many reasons and I'll just start with a very, you know, personal kind of emotional reason, but a real Christmas tree smells and looks and feels like Christmas. It is just an amazing tradition and so much. Fun to go and pick your own Christmas tree, whether you're going to a lot or choosing and cutting your own. All of my best Christmas memories myself do revolve around the real Christmas tree, even like the less perfect memories where maybe we left it until the very last minute and had to go to a couple places to find a real tree at the end of the season. But it's my favorite memory and quality time spent with my sister. So like I love those and cherish those memories on a more objective level. Um. Unlike a fake tree, which is made out of plastic, right? Real trees are a renewable resource and biodegradable, and according to the National Christmas Tree Association, for every tree that is cut down, these tree farmers like John are planting one to three seedlings and really regenerating. Um, their, their crop. These trees are in the ground for years. You know, they're, it takes what, John? Seven to 10 years. How long is the average tree? Old is the average tree,

John Krueger: 4:50

right? Right. Very close. About one foot per year. Okay. So our average trees around eight feet. So roughly eight years. Correct?

Rachel Wandrei: 4:55

Right. So all that time, these trees are cleaning our air and doing great things for the environment. And then maybe the most important one is. That, uh, the, you're supporting a, a farmer, a real Minnesota small business. When you, when you go to a local farm and, and, uh, get a real tree that you're keeping your dollars in your community, you're providing jobs, stimulating our local economy by shopping for a a Minnesota Christmas tree.

John Krueger: 5:22

Yeah. Just to add to that, I would say, uh, one of the key benefits is just the experience that your family or you will have by visiting a farm. Um, it's truly not just a product that you're purchasing, it's, it's, uh, an experience that you're living and breathing and, and feeling, um, as a family. Um, and so very few products and, uh, markets out there combine those two things of experience and a product, um, together. And it's, it's really an amazing thing to be a part of and, and see all the families come and go.

Jennifer Burington: 5:53

So, what you talked about, how long it takes. On average for a tree to grow. So what goes, what else goes into besides time, uh, growing a real Christmas tree?

John Krueger: 6:05

Well, it all starts with the planting, obviously. Uh, we typically purchase a transplant tree, which means that from seed, uh, out of a pine cone. Through the transplant stage, it's roughly three to four years. Um, majority of Christmas tree farmers will purchase those transplants. Some, uh, grow their own seeds to transplant, but typically it's a a 4-year-old tree. By the time we. Start to plant it. And uh, like I mentioned, it's roughly one foot per year, but it's usually a little slower to start off and then it grows exponentially. So every bud turns into four to five, and those four to five turn into four to five more. So you think of time, value of money from an investing standpoint, it's very similar. Um, time is on your side and once those trees get established, they really, uh, grow quite quickly. A lot of folks will come out and say, oh, a lot of your trees are like 4, 5, 6 feet tall. What are you gonna do next year? Well, those trees, you know, will grow those one, two, and maybe three feet, um, in that next year or two.

Rachel Wandrei: 7:03

I had that experience when I came out to your farm in January af you know, after the season. And I was like, where are the big trees? I was like, oh, okay. They're gonna get bigger in the next year.

John Krueger: 7:12

Yeah. Yeah. It's always unnerving and then it, it happens. So it's, uh, anyway. Yeah. Um, once the trees are planted, we do a lot of, uh, wood chipping at our farm just to make sure that the trees have moisture within the soil and keeps the weeds down and helps, um, provide some organic matter into that soil for, for future plantings. And then, um, you know, seasonally every season there's something to do in, uh, spring and summer. It's mostly weeding, mowing, that sort of thing. We try to limit the amount of, uh, herbicides that we use and rely more on mechanical means for, for weed control. Um, come fall, then it's obviously harvesting and preparing for the selling season and during the winter it's a little bit slower, but it's also a time to do inventory and also, um, shearing, um, of the trees as well to shape them. Every tree needs to be shaped and sheed every single year. So when a lot of folks come out and say, oh, what do you do the rest of the year after the selling season? Uh, well, really that's the hardest part. The selling season is, is more the busyness and a lot of energy. But, um, the stressful work side of things comes in the spring, summer, and fall. Once the trees are planted in the ground and we have the wood chip spread over the next few months of the summer, it's mainly weed control through mechanical means such as weed, whips and mowers, those types of things. Then by midsummer, the trees have stopped growing for that year, and it's time to do the, the shearing or shaping of, of each tree. That requires us to take a long handled knife or a, a specialized set of shears and cut off the longest part of the newest growth so that the tree can grow more dense and full. More like a, a shrub or a bush as opposed to a natural wild tree in the woods that's more sparse and, and spindly, so to speak. So, um, a lot of folks ask, what do you do the rest of the year? Well, it's spent weeding, mowing, cheering, shaping, and all those things that make that tree full and dense and, and that classic a shape that people are looking for as opposed to a spindly wild tree in the woods.

Jennifer Burington: 9:13

Yeah. There are some areas where you can go out and get a. Uh, permit to, to take, um, wild trees and stuff and they kinda like the Charlie Brown tree, if that's kind of what you're looking for, but not. Definitely not at the, uh, Christmas tree, Christmas tree farms that we have here. And the, the ones that you guys are growing, you're, you're helping, uh, shape them and make them into that nice, dense, um, full of all those family ornaments that you can hang on there as well. So,

Rachel Wandrei: 9:41

and there's different trends, you know, not to get off topic, but you know, that Victorian look, that Christmas tree or the Charlie Brown Christmas tree, look, you know, there's, there's definitely people who are looking for that too. And there's a tree farm that's gonna have them available for you. But yeah, there's a lot. Like John is saying, so much that goes goes into making sure they're healthy, beautiful trees.

Jennifer Burington: 9:59

Yes, and you have multiple stages. Like there's always, um, multiple ages, age groups of all of the, of the trees and stuff. It's kind of fun to see some of the larger farms. You have all of the, you can see, oh, these are the newly planted ones, and then these ones are gonna be ready pretty soon and the in between ones and then, yeah, it's fun to see.

John Krueger: 10:18

Yeah, it's really amazing how many people come out and don't quite understand the. All the work that goes in and the timeline, they think, oh, put a tree in, in a couple years you'll have a, an eight footer. But, um, it certainly is, is more complicated And yeah, people like to see the different levels and, and heights and, and generations of trees that are coming up. We try to do a, a little field sign on each one that says what the species is when it was planted. Um, and uh, it allows folks to kind of understand what's, what's coming and how long it really takes to, to get that beautiful tree. And further to Rachel, what Rachel was saying, you know, the Minnesota State Fair has a, or the Minnesota, the Minnesota Christmas Tree Association has a booth at the Minnesota State Fair. And uh, we have a set of judges. We used to do just two or three judges, but now we have a whole panel of actual consumers. And so we get a broader range of, of input and gradings and, and ratings for trees. And this, uh, we started doing that in the last couple years and we're realizing that there's, there is a indeed a quite a range of. Styles and types of trees that people are looking for. Some like a full dense, um, bush or shrub. Others, like more natural Victorian style, um, types of trees. So we as growers are learning more about what people actually want, and it doesn't have to be the perfect tree. Um, just like people looking for other people. There's a, a tree for everybody, right? Uh, depending on what, what their interests are and, and what, uh, what really, um.

Rachel Wandrei: 11:47

If you are passionate and picky about what your tree looks like, you too could be one of the judges for the Minnesota Christmas Tree Association State Fair Contest would be a way to get involved. And there's one for a, there's decorated trees as well, a traditional and a contemporary category of decorated trees. It's a little plug for their amazing state fair display.

Jennifer Burington: 12:06

I saw their display this year. I was walking through and I was like, Ooh, I don't ever, I don't get to see all of the trees all in one spot at the same time. So it was nice to see all the, the different species that you have, um, on display there. And then some of them are decorated. Mm-hmm. In the re So to kind of go along with, um, how you were saying like there's different areas at the farm and of trees that people can cut your own and then you have some. That are lots, um, that are more retail and not, not so much cut your own. What is it like to shop for a real tree at these, at different Minnesota Tree Farms? More specifically kind of with. With John's, but also just in, in general, Rachel, if you wanna kind of give an idea of the people have, yeah,

Rachel Wandrei: 12:50

I'll get it off and then you fill in John. But, um, every tree farm is different, so, uh, we recommend, you know, do a little research in advance, look at their website, look at their social media, uh, so that you're familiar with what kind of offerings they have. So. Um, some might have hot cider or cocoa or a gift shop or bonfires, you know, so depending what you're looking for, um, do a little, do a little digging, and then when you get there, just be prepared to follow the instructions and any posted guidelines. Follow the staff and, and, and what. They have you do. So, um, but a couple basics. So dress for the weather, whatever that is that day. Um, and maybe, you know, you get to play lumberjack for a day. Maybe you know your best lumberjack year, but prepare, they might get a little bit dirty. You are gonna be under that tree. You're gonna be, you know, getting a littles on your hands. So, you know, be prepared for that. Maybe don't wear white. I've talked to people who pick strawberries wearing white. You're like, what? You're going to pick a Christmas tree? Be prepared for that. Um. And then, um, I will say most places you can just show up, but, uh, some of the busier places looking at you, John, they do take reservations so that everyone can have a really great experience. It won't be overcrowded. Uh, and then plan to have some fun. Take your time picking out the perfect tree, looking at the different varieties. You know, some people are like, yes, that's the tree and that's it. And other people really like to take a lot of time. Have a snowball fight, take some pictures and really have a good time. Uh, and then just a, a couple logistics. Like most of the, if you're choosing and cutting your own, they're gonna provide a saw for you. Be careful, uh, and maybe a sled or a wagon, something for carrying it out to your car. And then. They're gonna have some support to shake and bail the trees. So they have, it's really fun to watch, actually. They put it in a shaker, just get any little loose, uh, you know, needles or, uh, you know, things of the tree out there. And then they have a really cool machine. They run it through to like bundle it up into a nice little package and help you get it onto your car. What'd I miss?

Jennifer Burington: 14:52

I think that was it. Yeah. For the Cut your own.

John Krueger: 14:56

Yeah, I think you covered it really well, Rachel. Um, really, I, I would describe it as each farm has its own unique personality and, and characteristics, right? Um, some are way out in the country, some are more urban, some are a mix. Uh, some farms, their business model is just cut your own. Others are just retail, which means, you know, a pre country in the lot. Uh, and again, others are, are a mix of those. So really, you know, if you don't know where you want to go, look on our, uh, Minnesota Grown website or the Minnesota Christmas Tree Association that has a map, uh, that shows each farm and, uh, you can look up to see what types of trees, uh, each farm sells or has, as well as how far away it is. And, and just some basic information that, um, are gonna tell you what your experience is, is going to be.

Jennifer Burington: 15:44

Perfect. Well, that was a good introduction to some of like, um, what's grown, how Christmas trees are grown, the real Christmas trees and stuff. And so, um, kind of one concern whenever we talk about moving Woody products that we've talked about in some other, um, podcasts here, and including last year, we talked about some holiday pests. Um. But woody products like Christmas trees, uh, is accidentally introducing pests and disease to new areas. Now, kind of, it's winter and most things are pretty dormant. Um, but how do locally grown trees help to mitigate that risk?

John Krueger: 16:22

Yeah, as you mentioned, there's uh, pests and, and different types of diseases, you know, all, all across the country. Um. And the key thing is to keep those where they're at. What we don't want to do is, is disperse them any further In this more, uh, national, global economy, obviously, um, things are more, uh, transitional and tran in transit more than they probably ever were. But the key thing is, uh, to try to purchase your trees as local as possible. Clearly if you do a cut your own experience, that's going to, um, dictate where those trees are from. Um, but also ask in advance, uh, from a Christmas tree lot where they get their trees and try to focus on, um, businesses that by, you know, locally, which would mean, you know, within the couple county area, or at least within the, the state of Minnesota. Doesn't mean that a tree from other parts of the country are, are bad or should be avoided, but, um, the more we can reduce the possible risk, uh, the better we're all gonna be as growers and, uh, citizens as, as well as uh, consumers.

Jennifer Burington: 17:27

So John, what does the local market supply look like this year?

John Krueger: 17:32

This year the, the supply is looking good to Great. Um. For the past couple years, a lot of growers have had to bring in extra trees from other farms to help supplement what they're, what they've been growing. But, uh, a lot of that was a result of the COVID years where, uh, demand was much higher than we anticipated, which is a great thing. Folks wanted to come out and have the outdoors experience and just, just be active and, and around other people. Coupled with that was, uh, there was some drought in the early, uh. 2000 tens, which is when a lot of those trees were planted. So it was kind of a double whammy of slightly less supply and definitely a lot more demand. Um, since that time, over the last year and, and into the next few years, we actually have a, uh, like I said, a good to grade supply of trees locally here, but also in other parts of the country. So there will be less need for farms to bring in trees from other parts of the, of the country as a lot of the trees grown here will be, uh, ample enough to. Meet the supply or meet the demand of, uh, of our customers, and that obviously will help reduce the risk of possibly transferring diseases or pests from other parts, um, of the country.

Jennifer Burington: 18:42

Perfect. And Rachel, how do we find reputable places to purchase locally grown Christmas trees and other greenery? I know John mentioned a couple, but if you kind of wanna give a little more description. Yeah, I'll double

Rachel Wandrei: 18:53

down. Absolutely. Make it easy. So Minnesota groan.com uh, is a directory of free directory that the Minnesota Department of Agriculture maintains the Minnesota Grown Program. Um, and it's a listing site source for. All kinds of agricultural products and foods. Um, people maybe think of produce, but they don't necessarily realize that Christmas trees are gonna be a part of that as well. So we have a Christmas tree directory with over 60 listings all over the state where people can go and learn a little bit about the farm and see a picture and then. Um, go to the website for that farm to learn more about it. Uh, and of course I'll also give a shout out to the Minnesota Christmas Tree growers association, MN cta.com. Uh, that has listings as well. So, like John said, um, those are great places to start. And if not that, look for that Minnesota Grown logo wherever you're going. And, and ask, talk to the person where you, where you go and say, do you have local trees? Do you have Minnesota trees? And, and that, that's a priority for you would be great.

John Krueger: 19:56

In addition to that, a lot of our business comes from word of mouth, right? So ask friends, family, neighbors, where they go and um, if they've had a great experience, typically they'll tell others about it. And, um, you can ask them direct questions about what they liked and, and if that's something that would be great for you and your family.

Jennifer Burington: 20:12

Yeah, 'cause each location is a little bit different like Rachel talked about earlier. Like some of them have. Sleigh rides or on the weekend you have extra activities or, um, apple cider and you have other products for sale as well too. Sometimes some of 'em will have. Wreaths or other locally grown, um, Minnesota grown products. Yeah, porch pots likes the

Rachel Wandrei: 20:33

spruce pots. Even if you don't have the space to get a real Christmas tree, a wreath or a, you know, decorations, centerpieces, those spruce tips, um, are really a great way to bring that wonderful smell and Christmas spirit into your home. Yep.

John Krueger: 20:48

And a bit more on the tactical side too. Really look at their hours when they're open. Um, some farms and, and lots are open after dark where people can come in the evenings if they have. A busy hockey or, uh, skiing schedule, that sort of thing. And also look to see what, um, services they provide. Rachel talked about this a little bit earlier, but some farms are more, you do all the work and, and load the tree up on your own, but others are a bit more, um, fully customer centric and we'll do a lot of that work for you. And it's included with the price of your tree.

Jennifer Burington: 21:21

Nice. So what are some of the benefits or drawbacks of buying a tree on a lot, um, versus visiting a tree farm?

John Krueger: 21:34

I would say the biggest benefit is that experiential aspect of it. Again, it's not just a product you're purchasing when you go to a, a Christmas tree farm, but you get the full experience, the sites, the smells, the feelings, the energy, those types of things. Even something simple as a. As a campfire or just smelling that green, green needles, um, the cold snow when you're out in the field and, and just the, the overall atmosphere is really something that just can't be rep replicated at a, a standard lot, at a, at a big box store or, or something similar to that. Not that we're, um, not supportive of those that any real tree is a, is a any tree. Any real tree sold is a, is a great thing for the environment and for us as Christmas tree growers.'cause that originated, originated from a farm somewhere. Um, but visiting a a tree farm just is that local family run, uh, experience. And uh, it supports the local economy, the local farmer, all those dollars stay local, um, which is a great thing. One common misconception or question that we often get from customers at the farm is how do we determine, or how do they determine how fresh a tree is? A pre-cut tree will not necessarily be less fresh than one that's cut from the field. And what happens when they're cut is they go dormant essentially, and they retain their moisture. Whereas when they stay in the field, they're still transpiring a fair bit. So even though they're cut that particular day, it does not mean it's gonna be more fresh than one that's that's been pre-cut. The key thing is the, the longevity of that tree or potential longevity really starts when you bring it into your house and put it in water. Um, a tree that's cut before that essentially is dormant. Um, and it's not gonna be any more long lasting than one that's, um, been precut.

Jennifer Burington: 23:18

Perfect. Some years my family has been really busy and we just make a quick stop at the local tree lot. And some years we've had, we head out to one of the local farms and cut our own tree. And I know a lot of people, um, that have picked up trees at like large retailers that we've talked about that may not have been specifically grown in Minnesota. And last year on the Smarty Plants Podcast for the holiday, uh, episode, we talked about different pests that can come in, um, from trees grown in other states. And John, you check your trees for pests throughout the year. Do you have any recommendations on how to check trees, uh, for pests? If we are unsure of where the tree was grown when we purchased it?

John Krueger: 24:04

Yeah, of course. The first thing is try to ask where the trees were purchased from or, or sourced from. And, and most lots will, will give that information. Um, but beyond that, it's really more of a for, for the average consumer, more of an eye check, um, look to see if there's some discoloration of the needles, some curled needles, missing needles, um, just kind of a, uh.

Jennifer Burington: 24:26

Kind of like a general, everybody's kind of inspecting the, the tree anyway when you're walking around trying to pick one out. So everybody's doing it kind of without thinking about it, but yeah, looking for that discoloration, um, anything on the needles or some weird growth sun on some of the branches.

John Krueger: 24:44

Generally speaking, as, as we harvest the trees, the, we as growers are making sure that we're not harvesting. Trees that might be susceptible to some sort of disease or pest. Um, but sometimes they get through. And really it's just that eye check to make sure that there isn't something very noticeably wrong. Um, and even if a tree does get into your house, it's not gonna be. Negatively impactful to your family or your house, that sort of thing. Um, but it's again, more of a visual eyesore for the consumer and a broader risk for the farmer and the, the local environment.

Jennifer Burington: 25:16

Yeah. And if people do happen to notice when they pick up their tree and bring it home and they. As they're putting up all the ornaments and decorations on it and they're digging in there to try to get all the lights on there.'cause you always have to have lots of lights in there and shove those cords in. Um, so as you're in there and looking at everything, if you do happen to see something, um, that seems a little bit unusual or that doesn't, um, match with like, kind of the rest of the tree, um, you can always take a picture of it and you can report it into the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's report a pest. Which you can find all of our contact information online at www dot mda state mn us slash all one word here, report a pest. And you can upload pictures directly onto our online form. And you can also find our email address and uh, phone number that you can send us pictures or give us a call and kind of explain what what you're seeing. Um, and definitely send pictures 'cause you never know when it might be something. Um, new or interesting that is a concern or may not be a concern, might be something normal that people have been finding in their year, in their houses or in their trees for years. But, um, I wish I could go around looking at everybody's trees and all of their plants growing in their gardens every day, but I can't. So we rely on everybody letting us know when they, when they see something, um, and then letting us know. So yeah, if you do happen to see anything, um, on your trees when you're putting them up, uh, please let us know. And then as you're putting them up, when we've finally decided on the great perfect looking tree and we're putting it up, how do we best take care of a real Christmas tree, Rachel, when we, once we get it home?

Rachel Wandrei: 27:01

Yes. Well, like John said, the clock kind of starts ticking once you bring the tree inside, so. First thing, give that tree a fresh cut, about one inch, at least an inch from the bottom before you put it in the stand. So just like you would give fresh flowers a trim before you put them in the vase, uh, that kind of reopens the tree stem so that it can take up the water and hydrate. Uh, next your spot. The location of where you put your tree is important. So. Don't put it right next to the heat register or, or the fireplace space heaters even like TVs or monitors with fans, like the heat is gonna speed up the evaporation and moisture loss for your tree. And like it's all about hydration. So, uh, as soon as you get it in the stand, water it immediately. Uh, you wanna a stand that can hold a good amount of water and you don't need to add anything to that water, just plain good water. Um, but right away, and then check that water level daily. So I've noticed that often trees will take up a lot of water right in the first few hours or days. Uh, and some need more consistent watering. But, uh, you know what, we were talking earlier and Chad said, well, some trees are drinkers and some aren't. So, you know, really just keep an eye on that water level, um, and make sure that your tree is really hydrated.

John Krueger: 28:22

And further to that, if your tree is not drinking, that's actually a very good thing because it means it's hydrated when it got to your house. And, uh, depending on the fall that we have coming up, uh, the trees can be very hydrated or, or, or not. But, um, even within a field, there's a, a variety of, uh. Levels of hydration within each tree. So don't be alarmed if your tree doesn't drink. Just make sure it always has water. And as Rachel said, Rachel said, uh, make sure that fresh cut is made. Typically wherever you purchase that tree, they'll do that for you. Um, in some cases, folks will come out a little bit early, select their tree, do the fresh cut, and either put it in their stand or just in a bucket of water and then bring it in a few days later or a week or so. Um, so you could certainly do that. Or if you have a saw at home, just a hand saw will make quick work of a, a one or two inch, uh, slice off the bottom of the tree.

Rachel Wandrei: 29:14

You can save that slice too. It becomes kind of a memento. I love that. Smells really good.

John Krueger: 29:20

Absolutely.

Jennifer Burington: 29:20

The kids had fun counting all the rings when we did it the last, the last time too. We'll have to keep, I don't think we kept it, but maybe we'll have to do that. Start keeping all the trees that we have and knowing how old they were. Oh, I like your idea of

Rachel Wandrei: 29:32

counting the rings. That's kind of a nice activity for children. Mm-hmm.

John Krueger: 29:36

And again, just plain water is what you recommend. Tap water, usually the first time you set it up a, a warm or lukewarm water helps kind of open up those pores, especially on a, on a cold or, or freezing day. And so, um, warm water and, um, really keep an eye on that moisture level again, that, that first, first few days. Um, and don't worry if it's not drinking too much.

Jennifer Burington: 29:58

Perfect. So once the holidays are over, um, where and how do we safely dispose of trees once the holidays are done? I.

John Krueger: 30:08

Our recommendation is to have your waste hauler pick up your tree, uh, from your curb. Pretty much all of 'em will do it, um, on a, on a free or or low cost basis. That way you know that it's going to, um, a CER central location where they can chip those up and usually use 'em in their local municipality or, or sometimes incinerate them for, um, energy. Um, creation. Um, if you know where your tree came from, you can also set it outside and then burn it up. Um, you know, ideally as soon as possible. That'd be the secondary, um, recommendation.'cause not all waste haulers in, in certain rural areas will, will pick up your tree for you.

Jennifer Burington: 30:46

Um, part of what we highlighted in the last episode too is that like disposal. If you're really unsure of where, if it's not a local tree, um, there's potentially, there's always a potential for something to be. Uh, a pest to be on the tree. So we wanna, we wanna protect the resources that we have around your home and around wherever, your tree, wherever you had your tree up. Um, so it's, it's a good practice to use what John said. Use the waste haul. Um, sometimes, uh, municipalities will have a collection day, uh, usually after, uh, the first of the year. Um, and then. They may be open for just a weekend or for two weekends and stuff, or use the waste haulers. Um, and we really recommend people don't just, uh, toss it out in their backyard and leave it there.'cause, uh, even if it is a Minnesota grown tree, um, and things, some things that are in southern Minnesota aren't necessarily supposed to be in northern Minnesota and northern Minnesota, it's not supposed, may have different things in southern Minnesota. So it's, uh. It's something we like to highlight with the, the potential for pests.'cause you never know what, what is hiding in the, in the tree. So we always like to say that, um, if you can prevent it from getting established someplace, that's always, it's worth a lot more than trying to, trying to go afterwards. So. Yeah. Is there anything else that you would like to add, John and Rachel, before we uh, get ready for our holiday seasons here?

Rachel Wandrei: 32:14

This is delightful. I'm excited for people to get to go to Minnesota grown.com and if you haven't gone to a Minnesota Tree Farm before that, this should be the year to do so because it's so much fun. And like we said, you know, supports these family businesses, these farmers, um, and just is a wonderful, wonderful experience.

John Krueger: 32:35

We as Christmas tree farmers just participated in our annual field day at a local tree farm. It's a time and place for us to together and talk about the upcoming season and kind of get re-energized. And I can tell you that everybody's very excited and, and very busy and hard at work to get the trees ready, their farms cleaned up, and, uh, host all these wonderful families and consumers that come out and and support local.

Jennifer Burington: 32:58

Perfect. We'll be one of them. So this has been Smarty Plants, a podcast from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Our producer is Brittany Raveill. Our editor is Larry Schumacher, and I have been your host. You can learn more about pests and other invasive species that affect our environment at www.mda dot state dot MN dot US. And while you head to our website, we'll be working on the next episode of Smarty Plants. See you there.