Selecting the Oh-So-Perfect Christmas Tree at Marini Farm is a Family Affair

Gather the family, pack a tape measure and heavy-weight gloves, choose a holiday CD to play en route and come on over to Marini Farm for one of the best selections of more than 2,000 pre-cut fresh Christmas trees.

A full selection of wreaths, decorated and plain kissing balls, swags, greens, roping, hand-made bows and gift items are also available. The Stand Strait Christmas Tree Stand--also known as The Marriage Saver--is available for sale with free tree drilling for owners of the stand. Considered the best Christmas tree stand available, it enables your tree to stand tall, straight and stable to prevent it from toppling over, and requires only one drill hole in the base of your tree.

Marini Farm starts shopping for Christmas trees right after July 4^th, and they make it a family excursion. The Marini family takes a summer vacation in the Quebec area, and sets aside some time to meet with the tree growers and select the trees for the coming Christmas season. Balsam and Fraser trees are the most popular based on overall quality and shape, with Balsam known for their fragrance and Fraser knows for their strong branches and minimal needle drop. As Marini states, “Our hands-on selection process is the reason the quality of our trees is second to none,  and we want our customers to get the best tree possible for their families to enjoy.” 

According to the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA), 56 million trees are planted each year for future Christmases and 30 to 35 million families will shop and buy a "real" Christmas tree this year. Finding your perfect Christmas tree can be a challenge.

To make your selection process a little easier, Marini Farm has compiled these tips for picking and maintaining the perfect tree for you. 

GETTING THE “RIGHT” TREE: 

1.  Get clear before you leave home where you will be positioning the tree and how much room you need. Take measurements of the height and width you need, and be careful not to overbuy. A tree can be the right height and still be too wide.

2.  Bring old gloves that you don't mind getting full of sap and take along a small hand saw if you want to do some trimming before bringing the tree home.

3.  Leave plenty of time to shop and enjoy the experience rather than rushing an hour before the farm closes. Marini Farm holiday hours are Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

4.  Know where you tree comes from, as sometimes locally grown trees are fresher than those that come from far away.

5.  Find out when the trees were cut. If they are cut too early and left out in the sun in the fields, they will dry out faster.

6.  Check freshness by taking a branch and running your hand across it to make sure a lot of needles don’t fall off. Other tests: If the tree feels light for its size, it could be dried out. If a bent branch doesn’t snap right back, that’s a sign it’s getting stale.  Inspect them out in the light and look for any outward signs of dryness like a musty smell, brown needles or excessive needle loss. Fresh pine tree needles will be green and pliable when you bend them. The needles on a fir tree should be green and snap crisply when bent. Give the tree a good shake. If more than a few needles fall off, select another tree.

The shelf life of a fresh tree in a home, if properly cared for, is about four to six weeks.

7.  Make sure the tree only has one trunk and that it is not crooked or bent. Trees with two trunks cannot be placed in a holder, and they tip over easier as well, often breaking ornaments.

8.  The base of the tree should be cut right before you take it home, and then plunged into water when you get there. Some recommend soaking the trunk in hot water with a few tablespoons of sugar for three days, then keeping it in lukewarm water. Some stores sell life-lengthening powders you can mix in the water. If you do purchase a freshly cut Christmas tree, you should water it frequently, never let the water run out and avoid keeping the tree near a heat source.

9.  Take the tree into the doorway BASE-FIRST versus top-first to avoid losing branches, which are sloped upward.

TYPES OF TREES TO CONSIDER: 

According to National Christmas Tree Association polls, here are the favorite top 10 Christmas tree species sold in North America. 

#1. Fraser Fir
#2. Douglass Fir
#3. Balsam Fir
#4. Colorado Blue Spruce
#5. Scotch Pine
#6. Eastern Red Cedar
#7. White Spruce
#8. Eastern White Pine
#9. White (Concolor) Fir
#10. Virginia Pine

They each have unique qualities:

• Noble fir, Fraser fir, Balsam fir, Douglass fir and Scotch pines typically retain their needles the longest.
• The light scent and feathery dark green foliage of the Leyland Cypress is excellent for people with allergies, while the Balsam fir is highly aromatic.

Only some of these are available in this area. Do some research before you leave home so you know what type of tree best suits your needs.

Most importantly, enjoy making your tree shopping experience a happy family memory. To add to your enjoyment, Christmas on the Hill at Marini Farm features hay rides, a visit from Santa (December 8th, noon to 4 pm), giant snowmen and free hot chocolate.

From all of us at Marini Farm, we wish you and yours a very happy holiday season. 

The Marini Family

Written by Blogger Pros.