They’ve left their home in the foothills of North Carolina to spend the Christmas season in eastern North Carolina.

We’re talking Frasers — as in Fraser firs.

220 Fraser firs arrived earlier this week in Washington. Boy Scout Troop 99, sponsored by Washington’s First United Methodist Church, is selling them as Christmas trees. The Scouts have been selling Christmas trees for numerous years.

The prices for the Christmas trees range from $40 to $120, said Shannon White, who was staffing the lot along with her husband Sean and Dr. Michael Crawford. The Whites’ son, Kevin, and Crawford’s son, Ben, were the two Scouts working at the lot Friday.

Scouts work at the lot, doing various tasks such as setting up the trees and carrying them to customers’ vehicles. They also help trim lower branches from the trees to improve the trees’ appearance.

“Each of the boys is working. This (the money raised) goes to their accounts to help pay for summer camp and trips,” White said.

The lot is open Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sundays from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and weekdays from noon to 8:30 p.m. The lot is next to Dr. Jimmy Walker’s dental office on West 15^th Street. Walker allows the Scouts to use the vacant lot at no cost.

“When we sell out, we’re done. Typically, from what they tell me, it’s about a week and a half,” White said.

“They are Fraser firs from 6 to 10 feet tall,” she said about the trees, which came from the western part of North Carolina.

The Scouts sold 13 Christmas trees Wednesday and a like number by noon Friday, according to White. One of their customers was the Washington Harbor District Alliance.

Blounts Creek residents Bill and Diana Gales bought their Christmas tree at the lot Friday. Last year, they bought their Christmas tree from the Scouts.

“We are repeat customers. We’re trying to downscale a little bit this year. So, we’re looking for something a little smaller, maybe something around the 6-foot range,” Bill Gales said.

The Gales said they buy their Christmas trees from the Scouts as a way to support them.

Other locations that sell Christmas trees grown in North Carolina include local grocery stores, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Petals & Produce (locations in Washington and Pinetown), Wal-Mart and other retail locations.

The Fraser fir, according to area Christmas-tree sellers, is the preferred tree bought by area consumers. Other species sold for use as Christmas trees include white pine, Virginia pine and Norway spruce, according to the N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services.

North Carolina has 1,600 growers producing an estimated 50 million Fraser fir Christmas trees growing on over 25,000 acres, according to the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association in Boone. Fraser fir trees represent more than 90 percent of all species (used as Christmas trees) grown in North Carolina. The North Carolina Christmas tree industry ranks second in the nation in number of trees harvested annually.

 

 

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Caring for a Christmas tree

 

Now that your special tree has been selected, it needs to be cared for in a manner similar to a fresh bouquet of flowers. It should be placed in water immediately. If for some reason the tree is not placed in water for more than twelve hours after it is harvested in the field, a fresh cut should be made by removing half an inch from the base of the trunk before placing the tree in a stand. The stand should be kept full of water throughout the season. A Christmas tree may take up to a gallon of water the first 24 hours and several pints each day thereafter.

Keeping the tree in water is the most important part of Christmas tree care. Special preservatives such as sugar, aspirin or cola are not required to preserve freshness. All that is needed is plain, clean tap water in sufficient quantity to keep the base of the tree covered at all times.

Christmas trees should be placed in cool areas away from drafts and potential sources of warm air. Trees should not be placed near fireplaces, heaters, furnace vents or television sets.

Christmas trees do not cause fires, but they should be handled to prevent being placed near sources of ignition. Light cords and connections used on the tree or in other holiday decorations must be in good working order to ensure a safe and joyous holiday season. Lights should always be unplugged when leaving home or going to bed.

Source: N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services