Xmas Tree 2013

About 250' from the house

Here we are again.  Sunday, Dec. 8/13 cutting from the front forest again.  We managed to find a 15 footer among the 40 footers and cut it at the 4' level.    Even our 10' ceiling can only take under 9' when you consider the stand and ornaments.

If you check last year's Xmas tree item you will see that we cut it on a Sunday, Dec. 9 and as with this year there was no snow.  I know it's crazy to record all of this but I love doing it.  We planted these trees 23 years ago and now most are between 35' and 40' covering about five acres out of our twenty-six.  We have rows of plantings down each side for about 2000' and an area on the valley rim to the northwest of the house.  There are many spruce and maple and the most gorgeous red pines that would make a great Christmas tree in any town square.  In addition there are 45' larch (tamarack) evergreen trees that grown green needles and then shed them for the winter.  When the needles die they have a golden sheen in the setting sun until they finally fall off in November.  A trip on google earth shows the forested area.  You can even see a dead zone on Danny's place next door. He has 50 acres with about 10 acres in trees across the valley rim.  In the middle walnuts were planted and they have killed out everything else.    Cutting on your own property makes the price right and guarantees that the needles will stay on until after the new year begins.  

The lighter green on the left are red pine and larch while the darker trees on the south side of the planting are white spruce.  There are green ash and some oak sprinkled around the north side.

Some of Mary's English Village

Mary did it again.  She turned a big Charlie Brown into a winner