Celebrate the holidays with a time-honoured tradition – Support local farmers by buying a real Christmas tree

GUELPH, ON  – ‘Tis the season to break out the decorations and embrace the spirit of the holidays — and standing tall at the centre of the adornments of bright baubles and shiny streamers is the Christmas tree.

The traditional evergreen tree is deeply rooted in the Christmas celebration, and putting up a real tree adds an element of authenticity to the experience. The look, feel and aroma of a real tree are integral to the cozy atmosphere of the festive season, and is a great way to create lasting memories, and build cherished family traditions.

For those curious to learn more about how Christmas trees are grown in Ontario, consider participating in a live virtual Christmas Tree Farm Tour on Thursday, November 30 at 1:30 pm. The tour is jointly hosted by Farm & Food Care Ontario and AgScape, two Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) partners dedicated to raising awareness of Ontario’s food and farming sector. Registration for the 30-40 minute event, appropriate for kids from kindergarten to Grade 8, is available online.

Find an Ontario Christmas tree near you by visiting christmastrees.on.ca. Whether at a store in your community or at a local Christmas tree farm, buying a fresh evergreen for the holidays is a great way to show support for local farmers and underscore the key roles that farms and farmland play in both Ontario’s environment and economy.

Farmers are stewards of the land, and the care they put into looking after the health of our soils, and managing our essential natural resources is reflected in the high quality of the products produced right here in Ontario.

That’s why preserving Ontario’s farmland to produce food, fibre, fuel and flowers is a top priority for the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) and is the primary goal of its Home Grown campaign. Based on the latest Census of Agriculture data, Ontario is losing an average of 319 acres of productive farmland every day, a worrisome decline that is not sustainable in the long-term.

The Christmas Tree Farmers of Ontario and OFA offer the following tips to ensure you get the most out of your fresh-cut Christmas tree:

• Location matters — Determine where in your home you will display your tree so you know how tall a tree you will need and whether all four sides must be suitable for display. Place your tree away from fireplaces, radiators, television sets and other sources of heat.
• Judge its qualities — The tree should be fragrant with a good green colour. A fresh tree will keep its fragrance and needles if placed in a stand with good water-holding capacity and watered regularly.
• Keep it nourished — Trees are thirsty and can drink up to four litres of water daily, so be sure to keep your tree’s water supply topped up. A stand that holds at least four litres of water is recommended. If you allow the water level to drop below the bottom of the tree, a seal will form just as it does on a cut flower, and a new cut will be necessary.
• Be safe — Turn off the tree lights when you leave and before you go to bed at night. Avoid combustible decorations and check all electric lights and connections. Do not use lights with worn or frayed cords and N-E-V-E-R use lighted candles on a Christmas tree.
• Put the tree to good use after Christmas — After the holidays, consider putting your tree in the backyard to provide wildlife habitat or look into local options for donating your tree to conservation efforts, like natural berms or features to enhance ecosystems in environmentally sensitive areas.

Following these care and precaution measures should ensure you get an attractive tree that stays fresh indoors for two to three weeks.