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Fraser Fir – North Carolina Christmas Tree Farm

North Carolina is first in the nation in Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) production and second in Christmas tree production behind the Pacific Northwest. In 2006, an estimated 50 million trees were grown on 25,000 acres. Fraser fir is native to the highest elevation mountains in western North Carolina, southwestern Virginia and eastern Tennessee.

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Real Christmas Trees are grown on farms just like any other crop. To ensure a constant supply, Christmas Tree growers plant one to three new seedlings for every tree they harvest. Click Here for details

The Benefits of Christmas Trees
It takes a Christmas tree an average of five to 16 years to grow, and as they grow, Christmas trees support life by absorbing carbon dioxide and other gases while giving off fresh oxygen. Every acre of Christmas trees planted gives off enough oxygen to meet the needs of 18 people. Today in America there are enough Christmas trees planted that 18 million people a day are supplied with oxygen. Also, the farms that grow Christmas trees stabilize soil, protect water supplies, and provide a refuge for wildlife while creating a scenic view. Often, Christmas trees are grown on soil that will not support any other crops. In addition, according to the National Christmas Tree Association, when one Christmas tree is cut down, one or two are planted in its place—an average of 56 million trees each year. Click Here for details

North Carolina also had Fraser Fir in white house 2007, 2008 so it is 11 times

Prized for its wonderful fragrance, lasting quality and vibrant green color, the Fraser fir has become a hallmark of the holiday season

This tree has become a Christmas favorite in recent years, thanks to the pretty contrast between the silver on the underside of the needles and the dark green on top. No worries about being pricked―the 3/4 inch-long needles are flat, have blunt ends, and are soft to the touch. The Fraser fir is said to have the best needle retention of all the trees, but farmers say needle retention is based more on how well you care for the tree.Click Here for details

Christmas Trees ARE Eco-Friendly

From hybrid vehicles to water-saving toilets, many companies are trying to capture the interest of the environmentally conscious consumer. The Real Christmas Tree industry has it easy – our product has always been the environmental choice. The question is – do most people know it?

When it comes to Christmas trees, the environmental issue is one where the farm-grown Christmas tree has the upper hand, but it’s up to us to make sure this message is heard and it’s been an uphill battle.

While they’re growing, Real Christmas Trees absorb carbon dioxide and other gases and emit fresh oxygen. They are grown on farms just like any crop. Christmas tree farmers plant new seedlings every spring to replace those harvested. In 2008, an estimated 45 million new trees were planted by Christmas tree farmers across North America. Here at Severt’s, we planted 80,000 new trees this year. There are close to a half billion conifer trees growing on Christmas tree farms in the U.S. alone. These trees would not exist if not planted by Christmas tree farmers. Christmas Trees stabilize the soil, protect water supplies and support complex eco-systems. And of course, farm-grown Christmas trees can be recycled, whereas fake trees can not.

What about the fake tree? Isn’t it better for the environment if you use something over and over? Artificial trees are a petroleum-based product manufactured primarily in Chinese factories. The average family uses a fake tree for only six to nine years before throwing it away, where it will remain in a landfill indefinitely. The polyvinyl chloride (PVC) used in most artificial trees has been boycotted by many environmental groups.

Is the environment really that big a factor in consumers’ decisions? In a national consumer poll, 21% of those respondents who displayed an artificial tree cited environmental concerns as the reason. Even if consumers do not recognize the environment as one of the factors in their decision, it is important that the correct facts are out there.

For more information Go to www.realchristmastrees.org or www.severtstreefarm.com to learn more.

NOTE: reprinted with permission from American Christmas Tree Journal

Severt’s Tree Farm Helps Troops

For Immediate Release: Jefferson, NC – June 15, 2010 – (http://www.severtstreefarm.com) – Trees for Troops program will deliver Real Christmas Trees for the fifth consecutive year

Severt’s Tree Farm is donating Real Christmas Trees as part of the nationwide Trees for Troops program, sponsored by the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation and FedEx Corp.

This holiday season, Trees for Troops is expected to collect and deliver more than 15,000 Real Christmas Trees from across the nation to military families across the United States, as well as to soldiers serving overseas. Consumers will also have the opportunity to purchase trees to donate to the program at various FedEx trailer drop locations across the nation. – Include details if your farm/lot is a trailer drop location –

“Our military and their families have been providing a real service to our country,” says Mark Steelhammer, president of the National Christmas Tree Association and a Christmas Tree farmer from Rochester, Wash. “And, as Christmas Tree farmers, we want them to be able to experience a traditional Christmas with a Real Tree.”

The Trees for Troops program was launched in 2005, and with the help of FedEx Corp., delivered more than 4,300 Christmas Trees to five U.S. military bases, as well as an overseas shipment to the Middle East that year. Since 2005, the award-winning program has delivered more than 50,000 Real Trees to military families at more than 50 bases in 17 countries.

“Trees for Troops has been a huge success and continues to grow,” says Christmas SPIRIT Foundation chair Nigel Manley, a Christmas Tree grower in Bethlehem, N.H. “It has really resonated with our industry and the military.”

The collection and delivery of trees will take place from the end of November through December. Consumers may make contributions to the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation at www.ChristmasSPIRITFoundation.org. More information is also available at www.TreesforTroops.org.

About the Christmas Spirit Foundation
The Christmas SPIRIT Foundation – based in Chesterfield, Mo, is a not-for-profit foundation that advances the Christmas spirit for children, families and the environment. Trees for Troops is just one of its projects. For more details, go to www.ChristmasSpiritFoundation.org.

About the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA)
NCTA is the professional organization representing nearly 5,000 farms and retailers engaged in growing and selling Real Christmas Trees to nearly 30 million consumers. Based in Chesterfield, Mo., NCTA’s mission is to promote the use of Real Christmas Trees and support the industry that provides them. For more information, go to www.realchristmastrees.org.

About FedEx
FedEx Corp. provides customers and businesses worldwide with a
broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 290,000 employees and contractors to remain “absolutely, positively” focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit http://news.fedex.com.

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