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HomeArts/LeisureSupport Local Christmas Tree Farms this Season

Support Local Christmas Tree Farms this Season

Think Local, Buy Local, Live Local! (Ad One Advertising)Clarksville, TN – This Christmas season do the planet a favor and select a natural Christmas tree from a local tree farm. Christmas tree farms grow a completely renewable and recyclable resource which contains no petroleum products and leaves a very small carbon footprint.

According to Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Pick Tennessee Products, natural Christmas trees can be found close to home, just waiting to be transported from the farm to your living room.

While they’re growing, natural Christmas trees absorb carbon dioxide and other gases and emit fresh oxygen. Christmas trees are often grown on soil that doesn’t support other crops, and their root systems serve to stabilize soil, protect area water quality and provide refuge for wildlife.

A Christmas Tree Farm
A Christmas Tree Farm

Grown on farms just like any other crop, one to three new seedlings are planted for every tree harvested to ensure a constant supply.

Do you have an artificial tree? Have you ever really thought about where plastic comes from? Plastic, thus artificial trees, are made with petroleum products. Lead, an ingredient in PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plastic and other metals, are also important parts of an artificial tree.

It is reported that about 85 percent of them start in China, but they’ll end up sitting in our local landfills for centuries. Another benefit to using live trees is that after the holidays you can take them to local sites to be ground into mulch for hiking trails, or you can always put the old trees in ponds or lakes for fish habitats.

A Christmas tree being dropped off at Dunbar Cave for recycling in January 2010
A Christmas tree being dropped off at Dunbar Cave for recycling in January 2010

No matter what you do with it, real trees are 100 percent biodegradable. In Clarksville you can take your tree to Dunbar Cave Natural area at 401 Old Dunbar Cave Road where CDE grinds up the trees which are then used to mulch the trails. More information on that will be available after the holidays.

Another option is to purchase a living (ball & burlap) evergreen tree to plant in your landscape once the holidays are over. Buying a live tree from a farm close to you is a guarantee that the variety you choose will grow well in your area, an assurance you can’t always get other places.

If you buy a live tree do so only a couple weeks before Christmas and plant outside as soon as possible. A live tree does not like the dry, indoor environment of your home and will be much happier once placed in the landscape! Make sure to water the tree while it is inside and after you plant it outdoors.

Going to the local tree farm is more than just going out to buy a tree, it’s the whole experience of driving out to the country, selecting the perfect tree as a family. It’s sharing hot chocolate around a fire or going on a hayride around the farm while meeting new people and enjoying nature itself.

The growers are members of this community and their livelihood depends on loyal customers. Most tree farms carry freshly made wreaths and garlands, and many have gift shops on site with all sorts of holiday décor inside. So, let’s all make the effort to support Montgomery County’s economy and buy local this Christmas!

  • RiverView Mounds Century Farm, 1715 Boyd Rinehart Road, Clarksville, TN, 37043
  • Lazy Spread Christmas Tree Farm, 3682 Dailey Road, Clarksville, TN, 37042
  • Erin’s Farm, 5816 Hodges Road, Cunningham, TN, 37052
  • Kirkwood Tree Farm, 3792 Buck Road, Clarksville, TN, 37043
  • Santa’s Place, 2175 Dunbar Road, Woodlawn, TN, 37191
  • J & J Century Farm: 1219 St Michael Road. Southside, TN 37171

Map

1715 Boyd Rinehart Road
Clarksville, TN, 37043

3682 Dailey Road
Clarksville, TN, 37042

5816 Hodges Rd
Cunningham, TN, 37052

3792 Buck Road
Clarksville, TN, 37043

2175 Dunbar Rd
Woodlawn, TN 37191

1219 St Michael Rd.
Southside, TN 37171

Have a Blessed Christmas & Happy New Year!
Karla

Karla Kean
Karla Keanhttps://utextension.tennessee.edu/montgomery/Pages/default.aspx
Karla Kean earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Horticulture and Minor in Agronomy from Southwest Missouri State University, Springfield Missouri in May of 1997. In March of 1998, Kean came to Tennessee after accepting a position with University of Tennessee Extension in Montgomery County. In this capacity she served in a split position as a 4-H/Agriculture agent with responsibilities mainly in the horticulture area. During this time she attended Winter School at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and earned her Master’s Degree in Agriculture and Extension Education in 2004. Her thesis study included gathering information on the importance of shade trees and natural learning opportunities in childcare centers throughout Montgomery County. In September of 2005 Kean left Extension to pursue a brief career as the City Forester in Clarksville. During this time she earned her accreditation as an International Society of Arboriculture- Certified Arborist and became actively involved as a board member of the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council. By spring of 2007 she realized that her true desire was to work with people by way of Extension programs. In March of 2007, Tennessee State University employed her as a temporary horticulture agent and then she interviewed for and obtained the horticulture/small farms agent position in Montgomery County and she has served in this capacity since August 2007. Karla is a long standing member of Tennessee Association for Agriculture Agents & Specialist’s and the National Association of County Agriculture Agents. She is also a member of the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council [former Executive Board member] and member of the International Society of Arboriculture-Southern Chapter. Karla is married to husband, Willis and they have 3 children [Amber, Christina, and Patrick] and 4 grandchildren. Karla and Willis are active members of Bethlehem United Methodist Church where Willis serves as a trustee and both work together to conduct the children’s church program.
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