The (Sustainable) Story Behind a Holiday Tradition: The Tree Farms Supplying The Home Depot's Fresh-Cut Trees
Originally published on Built From Scratch
Making the trek to The Home Depot to pick out a fresh-cut tree is more than just an item to check off the holiday to-do list. It has become a family tradition for many of our customers, with our stores providing one-stop shopping for the holiday decorator. Stores are stocked with trees large and small, fresh garlands, greenery bundles for crafting, wreaths and the seasonal favorite, poinsettias.
Moreover, most of the Christmas trees sold in our stores come from family-owned tree farms, with many of them in three locations – Oregon, Canada and North Carolina. Different regions also have their favorite types of trees. Noble and Douglas firs are popular on the West Coast, the East Coast favors Fraser firs and the Balsam firs from Canada are sought after in the North. Whatever the type, when a family buys a fresh-cut tree, they’re taking home a sustainable, renewable resource that provides jobs.
Home Depot Live Goods Merchant Freddy Lange points out, “At the tree farms, they begin the trees from seed, then plant the saplings. To produce a seven-foot tree, nine years have been invested in that tree, which has been fertilized and hand pruned. And for every tree that they harvest, they plant three more.”
The most important thing is the ritual and celebration of Christmas. It’s become a tradition for families to come to The Home Depot to select their Christmas tree. If you think about Christmas and the holidays, we have the offerings and solutions for our customers’ needs.”
Trees arrive in our stores a few days after being cut, so they hold up well past Christmas. Freddy notes, “Our ongoing delivery schedule ensures you get the freshest cut tree no matter when you come in during the holiday season.”
For the customer coming in to select a tree, it’s a win-win. Free tree trimming and tree wrapping are included with each fresh-cut Christmas tree purchase, by associates who have had training in the safe handling of Christmas trees. “We give the tree a fresh cut at the base so it gets the best watering when the customer gets it home, and that tree will last long beyond Christmas,” Freddy adds.
Because store associates get into the holiday spirit, too, many find creative ways to display the stump cutoffs in a festive way that includes our customers.
At the store in Bainbridge, Georgia, Department Supervisor Sarah Howell shares, “We make a board at the garden entrance with stumps. We ask if the customer would like to sign their stump. We attach them - and keep spares for those with multiple kids. We do this every year. Most families love the idea!”
Senior Merchant Brian Parker confirms that this happens in West Coast stores, too. “Children do in fact come back looking for the family-signed stump.”
For those who prefer to skip the store experience, The Home Depot also delivers Christmas trees and greenery. Visit homedepot.com to learn more.
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