Family tree Newport grower gears up for Christmas rush

John Burgess sits at his kitchen table, warmed by a nearby wood stove, sipping coffee and looking out the window at acres of Christmas trees. He’s taking a break, knowing that the next several weeks will be a whirlwind at his Newport pick-your-own tree operation.

“We do all of our business in two or three weekends,” Burgess said. And this year, business promises to be good as the lure of natural trees appears to be growing.

Thousands of trees will be toppled this holiday season, destined to be adorned with glittering decorations, construction-paper chains or popcorn-and-cranberry garlands, all with stars and angels stationed on the “leader,” the highest upward branch. Each year in the United States, more than 35 million families bring real trees into their homes.

Neither the Maine Christmas Tree Association nor the state keeps statistics on the value of the state’s holiday tree crop. Deanne Herman of the marketing division of the Maine Department of Agriculture said the crop is an important one, however, often used in conjunction with other crops to increase farm income to four seasons.

Burgess operates his former dairy farm on Stetson Road as a diversified operation, leasing land to horse owners and dairy farmers, growing pumpkins and squash for retail and wholesale, and tending his 3,000 balsam firs.

Former pastures and fields are full of the trees, carefully trimmed or “sheared” to that perfect conical shape. Tiny trees grow next to the stumps of last year’s harvest and chickadees noisily fly in and out of the larger trees where they have constructed their nests.

Snow hasn’t turned the forest of firs into a winter wonderland yet, but the sky is gray and before Christmas comes, the snow will surely blanket the grove.

But as Burgess sits and waits for the families to come to create their Christmas-card photographs while cutting down their trees, he doesn’t wax poetic. He has no romantic notions of Christmas eve celebrations around the tree. “This is hard work,” he said, quickly adding that he wants his customers to be happy. “I always wonder, ‘Did I do a good job?’ or ‘Will they like my tree?'” Burgess said.

Burgess, like many of Maine’s Christmas tree growers, uses no sprays. More than 98 percent of Maine’s Christmas trees are plantation grown. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, last year 164,406 trees were harvested at Maine tree farms. That ranked Maine 13th in the country.

Trees provide year-round benefits, according to the Maine Christmas Tree Association. Christmas tree farms add oxygen to the atmosphere, provide wildlife habitat, increase soil stability and are very attractive. Every acre of Christmas trees grown produces the daily oxygen requirement for 18 people.

But growing them can be challenging. Each tree takes about 6 or 7 years to mature. During that time, trees can suffer from too little or too much sun or rain, destruction by rodents, insects, disease, hail or fire and overgrowth from bushes, vines and weeds.

Burgess heads to the groves each September after the buds have hardened and begins shaping each tree over three years old. “It is almost like growing bonsai,” he said.

By pruning upward-growing branches, the grower can encourage the tree to branch more quickly and gradually achieve the full bushy appearance consumers look for in a Christmas tree. Burgess said, however, that “A tree is a tree. If you want a perfect tree, buy an artificial one.”

Burgess says his customers come as much for the experience of cutting their own tree as for the tree itself. “They come with their cameras and take the photo they’ll use for the Christmas card. They bring their children and make an event of it,” he said.

Recognizing this, Burgess has planted a number of trees about a half mile from his 1850 farmhouse, over a small knoll. Once there, visitors get the feeling they are away from everything, with the tree grove edged by wild forest and stone walls. “It really enhances the experience,” he said.

Burgess charges one price for his trees, $25, regardless of size. He’ll cut it or hand the customers the saw and let them cut it themselves. “I’m not in this to grow the most Christmas trees,” he said. “I just found a little niche here.”

Tips for taking care of a freshly cut tree

Here are a few helpful hints on selecting and caring for a freshly cut tree, courtesy of the National Christmas Tree Association:

. Before you set up your tree, make a fresh, straight cut across the base of the trunk (about ? inch up from the original cut) and place the tree in a tree stand that holds a gallon of water or more.

. Keep the tree stand filled with water. A seal of dried sap will form over the cut stump in four to six hours if the water drops below the base of the tree, preventing the tree from absorbing water later when the tree stand is refilled.

. A tree will absorb as much as a gallon of water or more in the first 24 hours and one or more quarts a day thereafter.

. In addition, keep your tree away from heat and draft sources like fireplaces, radiators and television sets. Test your light cords and connections before hanging them on the tree to make sure they?re in good working order.