Secretary Naig: ‘Choose an Iowa-Grown Christmas Tree to Support Local Farmers’
DES MOINES, Iowa (Dec. 1, 2020) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today encouraged Iowans to purchase a locally-grown Christmas tree to decorate their homes this holiday season. There are about 100 choose-and-harvest Christmas tree farms in Iowa, according to the Iowa Christmas Tree Association (ICTA). A list of choose-and-harvest Christmas tree farms is available at iowachristmastrees.com.
“During this holiday season, I encourage all Iowans to support local businesses, including our family farms,” said Secretary Naig. “Taking your family to a tree farm to select the perfect centerpiece for your holiday celebration is a great way to start a new tradition, or continue an old one, and it gives you the chance to connect with an Iowa farmer while supporting the local economy.”
The ICTA offered the following tips to help Iowans select and care for their Christmas trees at home:
- To make sure the tree fits in the desired place, measure the height and width of the space before leaving home.
- Wear comfortable clothes, sturdy shoes and bring gloves to the Christmas tree farm.
- Pick a tree with a straight trunk that will fit properly in a stand.
- Fresh trees may use up to a gallon of water per day. Check the water in the tree stand daily.
- Fresh cut trees are biodegradable; recycle it after the holidays.
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach offers additional tips for selecting and caring for fresh-cut Christmas trees at extension.iastate.edu/article/yard-and-garden-selecting-and-caring-christmas-trees.
More than 50,000 Iowa-grown Christmas trees are sold each year. Scotch pine and white pine are the most popular tree varieties sold in Iowa, according to the ICTA. On average, it takes six to 12 years for an Iowa farm family to grow a Christmas tree before it's ready to be sold. For every Christmas tree harvested, farmers plant two to three more in its place.