Christmas tree show features wreath makers

BANGOR – Maine tradition took center stage Friday afternoon at the Bangor Civic Center as two competitors raced to be named the fastest wreath maker at the National Christmas Tree Association Convention and Trade Show.

More than 50 Christmas tree growers, retailers and vendors from around the United States and Canada witnessed Maria Kingsbury of Dixmont make five wreaths in just under 22 minutes. The time was good enough to blow away the only other competitor, Donald Griffing of New York state, by more than 15 minutes.

Jim Corliss, a former president of the NCTA and owner of Piper Mountain Christmas Trees in Newburgh, answered wreath-making questions from growers hailing from as far away as Texas, Oregon and California.

“We use balsam greens because that’s what we grow best here. And our wreaths here in New England are always double-sided. … But we don’t use clippers. Every time an employee picks up and puts down a pair of clippers, you lose time and they lose money,” Corliss explained to the crowd as the wreath-makers competed.

The event was a prime example of what NCTA officials hoped to accomplish with the convention, which began Thursday and ends today.

“The goal of the convention is to provide a networking opportunity for growers, retailers and vendors for the purpose of selling real Christmas trees. It’s a great chance for people to talk and learn from each other. I know about double-sided wreaths now,” said NCTA President Beth Walterscheidt, who is from Texas.

Walterscheidt said the convention, which recently changed from a biennial to an annual event, includes seminars on marketing to “Generation Y” and growing better trees.

The main floor of the civic center was devoted to booths hawking tree stands, tree preservatives, candy cane-shaped tree-watering funnels, pine weevil pesticides and instant decorative snow.

Synthetic trees, however, were nowhere to be found.

Both Walterscheidt and Corliss agreed that one of the biggest challenges facing their industry is persuading the public to buy real trees rather than fake ones.

Corliss said in the past growers controlled 100 percent of the market, but that is no longer the case.

“Fake trees used to look like a collection of toilet brushes. But they improved their product and [the tree-growing industry] didn’t pay attention,” he said in an interview.

Corliss said that in addition to publicizing research that real trees are safer for the environment than their man-made counterparts, improving the buyers’ experience is now a way for tree farmers to cut into the synthetic market.

Convention attendees will spend today touring area tree farms “so people can see not only how we are growing trees, but how we sell them,” Corliss said. His own farm provides free hot spiced cider, homemade doughnuts and hayrides to customers during the cutting season.

The next convention will be held in Des Moines, Iowa, next August.