Staff reports

Curious where your Christmas tree comes from? Wonder if it is environmentally friendly? Join WNCA as we tour an organic Christmas tree farm near Roan Mountain, NC.

Did you know that North Carolina is the second largest producer of Christmas trees in the nation? (Oregon is first.) Ever thought of a harvested tree as being organic? Of course, it’s a tree, right? Well, Christmas trees are another story. They’re a cash crop just like corn and most farmers use loads of synthetic chemicals like pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides in order to create ‘the perfect tree.’ It’s been estimated that more than a couple million pounds of these chemicals are applied each year in this state alone. Some of this ends up washing down into our streams that we drink from, play in, and enjoy eating fish from.

Curtis Buchanan of Glen Ayre Tree Farm, near Roan Mountain, has been farming Christmas trees for 30 years. 15 years ago he decided to stop using chemicals and now relies on Mother Nature to take care of the pest problems that may arise. For example, he uses predatory insects to control bug populations instead of pesticides. As a certified organic tree farm, he is a steward of the land and a model for sustainable production.