Wow, a fascinating article at ESPN.com of all places popped up today on my google alert. A Christmas tree farm hosts a professional disc golf tournament. The course is laid out around the tree farm.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=mccluskey/090819
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
why do trees help fish?
How Does a Christmas Tree Improve Fishing?
Let me say up front, I’m not a biologist. I don’t even play one on TV. This is not my field of expertise. I am, however, an avid and frequent angler. I fish as often as possible from March through November. I fish most often for largemouth bass, but I have targeted many other species as well.
I have been asked in this capacity why or how sinking Christmas Trees into a pond or lake improves fishing. There are three main reasons this practice impacts fishing, so the answer is not as simple as most people who ask hope it will be.
First, the impact has a lot to do with the food chain in a fresh body of water. As woody plant tissue decomposes in water, more so than leafy material, the nutrients released spur a bloom of new aquatic vegetation known as phytoplankton, along with filamentous algae (moss) and rooted plants. This vegetation forms the bottom of the food chain. The first animals in the food chain are zooplankton (such as the water flea, seed shrimp and copepod). Zooplankton feed on the phytoplankton. Aquatic insects, snails, crayfish, mussels, etc. are next in the food chain, feeding on the zooplankton. Small, non-predatory fish are also part of the food chain at this point, feeding on phytoplankton, zooplankton and small aquatic insects. Different species of shad and minnow are the most common of these small, non-predatory fish.
At this point, the predators enter the picture, starting with small predators such as sunfish and crappie. Then moving on up the food chain to the bigger predators such as the largemouth bass … and then me, or at least homo sapiens in general, armed with a rod and reel and bait.
It is also known that in any impoundment of fresh water, whether natural or man-made, woody mass decomposes fairly quickly. So dropping farm-grown Christmas Trees into lakes and ponds helps restart or at least rejuvenate the food chain, which leads up to popular predatory fish targeted by anglers. Simply put, decomposing woody mass leads to a healthier ecosystem in fresh bodies of water.
Confused yet?
Reason number two that dropping trees helps fishing has to do with the instinctive behavior of the popular species of game fish targeted by anglers. Many of the predator species are structure-oriented, meaning, they relate to, move around and live on/in/near structure(s). The term “structure” can refer to any item in the water large enough for fish to see and identify from the area surrounding the structure.
Imagine a plain, round swimming pool. No matter where you were in the swimming pool, your surroundings would be the same and unidentifiable from anywhere else in the pool. Now, if I throw your poolside chair in and it sinks to the bottom, it becomes an identifiable object, or structure. You could find that structure even if you were swimming underwater with your eyes closed.
This instinctive behavior to relate to and move around structures exists in both prey and predator species but more so in the larger predators. Now, it’s certainly not the only thing impacting where fish are in a body of water; water temp, dissolved oxygen, presence of prey, water clarity, etc. all have great impact as well. However, when angling, one smart tactic is to find an underwater structure and fish near it, since it’s common for fish to be near.
Make sense?
The third way sinking Christmas Trees improves fishing has to do with the predatory techniques of the popular game species. Like many other predators in the animal kingdom, game fish often execute ambush tactics to catch and consume prey. This is true for all species of freshwater fish predators – from bluegill to crappie to bass and even for northern species such as pike, walleye and muskie. What’s an ambush? It’s when a predator is hiding somewhere and prey comes by and gets eaten. It’s the opposite of stalking or chasing prey; instead of expending energy to go find prey, the predator waits for the prey to come to it.
Largemouth bass are very versatile and efficient predators; in fact, they are credited by biologists and enthusiasts with being among the best predators in the entire animal kingdom. So, while they are quite capable of actively foraging and pursuing prey and often do, they also use ambush tactics. Simply put, big fish eat smaller fish, and they find it easier to do so if they take them by surprise or ambush them from a hidden spot, like a sunken Christmas Tree.
So the trees draw prey (small fish which feed on the phytoplankton and zooplankton) and the predators – crappie, bass, etc. – are waiting to eat them. Again, the smart angler understands this dynamic and uses things like sunken Christmas Trees as locations to fish for game species.
And that’s the long answer to the question “How does a Christmas Tree improve fishing?” They help boost and support the food chain, while providing structure-oriented fish with identifiable objects to live in/on/around and provide ambush cover for predators.
Let me say up front, I’m not a biologist. I don’t even play one on TV. This is not my field of expertise. I am, however, an avid and frequent angler. I fish as often as possible from March through November. I fish most often for largemouth bass, but I have targeted many other species as well.
I have been asked in this capacity why or how sinking Christmas Trees into a pond or lake improves fishing. There are three main reasons this practice impacts fishing, so the answer is not as simple as most people who ask hope it will be.
First, the impact has a lot to do with the food chain in a fresh body of water. As woody plant tissue decomposes in water, more so than leafy material, the nutrients released spur a bloom of new aquatic vegetation known as phytoplankton, along with filamentous algae (moss) and rooted plants. This vegetation forms the bottom of the food chain. The first animals in the food chain are zooplankton (such as the water flea, seed shrimp and copepod). Zooplankton feed on the phytoplankton. Aquatic insects, snails, crayfish, mussels, etc. are next in the food chain, feeding on the zooplankton. Small, non-predatory fish are also part of the food chain at this point, feeding on phytoplankton, zooplankton and small aquatic insects. Different species of shad and minnow are the most common of these small, non-predatory fish.
At this point, the predators enter the picture, starting with small predators such as sunfish and crappie. Then moving on up the food chain to the bigger predators such as the largemouth bass … and then me, or at least homo sapiens in general, armed with a rod and reel and bait.
It is also known that in any impoundment of fresh water, whether natural or man-made, woody mass decomposes fairly quickly. So dropping farm-grown Christmas Trees into lakes and ponds helps restart or at least rejuvenate the food chain, which leads up to popular predatory fish targeted by anglers. Simply put, decomposing woody mass leads to a healthier ecosystem in fresh bodies of water.
Confused yet?
Reason number two that dropping trees helps fishing has to do with the instinctive behavior of the popular species of game fish targeted by anglers. Many of the predator species are structure-oriented, meaning, they relate to, move around and live on/in/near structure(s). The term “structure” can refer to any item in the water large enough for fish to see and identify from the area surrounding the structure.
Imagine a plain, round swimming pool. No matter where you were in the swimming pool, your surroundings would be the same and unidentifiable from anywhere else in the pool. Now, if I throw your poolside chair in and it sinks to the bottom, it becomes an identifiable object, or structure. You could find that structure even if you were swimming underwater with your eyes closed.
This instinctive behavior to relate to and move around structures exists in both prey and predator species but more so in the larger predators. Now, it’s certainly not the only thing impacting where fish are in a body of water; water temp, dissolved oxygen, presence of prey, water clarity, etc. all have great impact as well. However, when angling, one smart tactic is to find an underwater structure and fish near it, since it’s common for fish to be near.
Make sense?
The third way sinking Christmas Trees improves fishing has to do with the predatory techniques of the popular game species. Like many other predators in the animal kingdom, game fish often execute ambush tactics to catch and consume prey. This is true for all species of freshwater fish predators – from bluegill to crappie to bass and even for northern species such as pike, walleye and muskie. What’s an ambush? It’s when a predator is hiding somewhere and prey comes by and gets eaten. It’s the opposite of stalking or chasing prey; instead of expending energy to go find prey, the predator waits for the prey to come to it.
Largemouth bass are very versatile and efficient predators; in fact, they are credited by biologists and enthusiasts with being among the best predators in the entire animal kingdom. So, while they are quite capable of actively foraging and pursuing prey and often do, they also use ambush tactics. Simply put, big fish eat smaller fish, and they find it easier to do so if they take them by surprise or ambush them from a hidden spot, like a sunken Christmas Tree.
So the trees draw prey (small fish which feed on the phytoplankton and zooplankton) and the predators – crappie, bass, etc. – are waiting to eat them. Again, the smart angler understands this dynamic and uses things like sunken Christmas Trees as locations to fish for game species.
And that’s the long answer to the question “How does a Christmas Tree improve fishing?” They help boost and support the food chain, while providing structure-oriented fish with identifiable objects to live in/on/around and provide ambush cover for predators.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Protecting Our Environmnent from Invasive Pests!
Just saw an article about the USDA's Animal Plant Health Inspection Service publishing rules on importing goods from China, particularly artificial Christmas trees.
"APHIS said it issued more than 300 emergency orders since 2002 because of wood-boring beetles it found in imported Chinese artificial trees."
Read the full post here. http://www.joc.com/node/410689
"APHIS said it issued more than 300 emergency orders since 2002 because of wood-boring beetles it found in imported Chinese artificial trees."
Read the full post here. http://www.joc.com/node/410689
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Christmas Trees for the Fishies
Saturday, we helped to give used Christmas trees a second life by dropping them into
Mark Twain Lake. In all, about 400 trees were dropped from 2 different locations. This was the fifth year that the Army Corp of Engineers (Corp) has run such a program at this lake. Prior to that they had recycled some trees without the help of boats -- walking them into the water at various places.
The water level can vary quite a bit on a Corp lake, depending on rain and water/flow control needed on the other side of the dam. However, the Corp says that the ideal depth for the trees is 5 to 20 feet. They want to be sure that boats won't hit the trees if the water level drops. And if the water level drops low enough that the trees become exposed to the air, then the trees will deteriorate too quickly.
To make sure the trees sink and stay in the targeted areas, we drilled a hole through the trunk of each tree, then laced a coated wire through the hole and through a cinder block.
Then we loaded the trees onto boats and they were taken to predetermined spots on the lake.
Among the 30 or so volunteers were various fishermen. As a bonus for their giving back to the lake that supplies them with food, fun and comaradarie, they also get a little inside knowledge about where the trees are located, giving them a bit of an edge in knowing where the bigger fish are likely to hang out in hopes of finding smaller fish that stray away from the protective branches of the sunken yule trees.
From the perspective of the volunteers of the Christmas Spirit Foundation, we salute the Army Corp of Engineers for their hard work in putting together an amazingly well organized effort that helps the environment! Kudos.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
A Monster and a Must See!!
Read the editorial under the last picture... it says it all!
SHIP FROM CHINA - The Emma MaerskWhat a ship....no wonder 'Made in China' is displacing North American goods big time with this floating continent transporting goods across the Pacific in 4 days no less!!! This is how Wal-Mart gets all it's stuff from China . Get a load of this ship! 15,000 containers and a 207' beam! And look at the crew-size: 13 people for a ship longer than a US aircraft carrier which has a crew of 5,000 men and officers. Think it's big enough? Notice that 207' beam means it cannot fit through the Panama or Suez Canals .. It is strictly transpacific. Check out the cruise speed: 31 knots means the goods arrive 4 days before the typical container ship (18-20 knots) on a China-to-California run. So this behemoth is hugely competitive when carrying perishable goods. This ship was built in five sections. The sections floated together and then welded. The command bridge is higher than a 10-story building and has 11 cargo crane rigs that can operate simultaneously.Additional info:Country of origin - Denmark Length - 1,302 ftWidth - 207 ftNet cargo - 123,200 tons Engine - 14 in-line cylinders diesel engine (110,000 BHP) Cruise Speed - 31 knots Cargo capacity - 15,000 TEU (1 TEU = 20 ft 3)Crew - 13 people First Trip - Sept. 08, 2006 Construction cost - US $145,000,000+Silicone painting applied to the ship bottom reduces water resistance and saves 317,000 gallons of diesel per year. Most all of these containers are shipped back to China , EMPTY! We send nothing back on most of these ships.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Some of the stories from Trees for Troops recipients.
Read through some of these, and it's easy to see why this is a labor of love for all involved. It's such a worthwhile endeavor. Thanks to all who donated.
Trees for Troops
My Story E-mails 2009
From: Emily Miller
To: info@christmasspiritfoundation.org
Subject: Thank you
Thank you so much Trees for Troops and Glove Hollow Farm at Fort Knox, KY. We appreciate your donation and your continual support for soldiers and their families. It is very encouraging that you care.
Sgt. Justin Miller, Emily and Davis
Fort Knox, KY
From: Erin Bill
To: mystory@treesfortroops.org
Subject: Thank you!
To whom it may concern:
Please thank all your sponsors and contributors on our behalf this year for their amazing generosity. My husband and I just got married this summer; he is active duty Air Force and we are stationed in the cold north here at Ellsworth Air Force Base. This morning after he got home from working the midnight shift, we were able to drive across base and pick up a beautiful tree for FREE. I can't believe it! What a wonderful gift. Our dog and cat have been exploring the tree all morning, and I'm adding lights and ornaments. It has been a busy and sometimes stressful year, and this gift of a Christmas tree just makes me smile all over...it is just what we needed.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
Erin and Jeff Bill
28th Maintenance Squadron
Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota
From: Sabbatino, Lisa Mr DoD Ben
To: mystory@treesfortroops.org
Subject: trees for troops
I just want to say thank you for donating the trees to military families. I know that my family greatly appreciates it. My husband has had to miss many holidays, birthdays, and many other special events over the years. Its never gets any easier. But we do the best we can to cope. I picked up my tree today at Ft.Carson, and it is one of the most beautiful trees my family has had. I just want to say thank you for thinking of us. We really do appreciate it.
Lisa Sabbatino
From: Jared & Rochelle Laskey
To: mystory@treesfortroops.org
Subject: Thank you!
I just wanted to express my thanks for the beautiful Christmas tree we received at Camp Lejeune today. Having a live tree will make this Christmas all the more special, particularly since it's the first one we get to spend with my husband in three years. Thank you for your generosity and God bless you! Rochelle Laskey, wife of Cpl. Laskey (USMC)
From: Jennifer Molina
To: mystory@treesfortroops.org
Subject: Thank You!
First of all, I want to say Thank you, thank you so much for the tree. I love it so much. We have never had a real tree before. My husband and I have been married for 6 years and never had a real tree because it was too expensive. Here is our story. My husband is currently in Iraq waiting to come home. His flight keeps getting canceled. This christmas is very important to us because he will meet his 4 month old son for the first time. Our Daughter Aliyah keeps counting the days till she can be with daddy and watch cartoons together again. This is our first deployment and it has been hard, but it has kept us all strong. I attached a picture of the tree next to our fireplace. It is not decorated because we are hoping daddy will be home soon to help us decorate. One again thank you so much for giving us a tree and making our christmas alot more jolly. Jennifer Molina(785) 579-6927 "When you feel like giving up,remember why you held on for so long in the first place"
From: ewoods999@
To: mystory@treesfortroops.org
Subject: Thank you Trees for Troops
Thanks to all the organization's and employees that made Trees for Troops possible this year.
My husband and I appreciate the beautiful tree provided us this year at Fort Lewis. The money we didn't spend on a tree went to buying food for junior enlisted soldiers and their families for their christmas dinner. Because of your gift we were able to pay it forward.
Thanks again for our tree and may all of you enjoy a joyous and safe holiday season.
Best regards,
Bill and Liz Moore
Washington
From: "MR. R BROWNING"
To: mystory@treesfortroops.org
Subject: Thank you
I just wanted to thank your organization so much for our tree. Money was a bit tight this year and getting a free tree made things somewhat easier. Our son is leaving in mid- January for Fort Bragg and then he's going to Afghanistan. This gesture made our holiday so much brighter. Thank you so much.
Hoping you had a Merry Christmas
Peace to everyone in the New Year,
Margaret Browning
To Whom It May Concern:
Hello and Happy Holidays to you all. My name is Britt Heinbaugh Ross and I am a thankful recipient of a tree from the Trees for Troops program. We just love our tree, and had great fun decorating it as well. This is our daughter Olivia’s first Christmas that she’s really aware of things and comes in each morning to where the tree is displayed to say, “ohhhh!” Great memories for us, those memories you helped bring out by your wonderful generosity to the Trees for Troops program. We are especially grateful this holiday season as my husband Chaplain Jeff Ross aka “Dada” is not here with us but serving in Iraq. Having the tree easily accessible for me through this program was just another task that I did not have to endure alone with a toddler. So again, I thank you very, very much. This program means a great deal too many here on Camp Pendleton, that I have personally talked with and have casually met while waiting in line for the tree.
Seasons Greetings and Happy New Year!
All our best,
Britt and Olivia Ross
From: Tanya
To: mystory@treesfortroops.org
Subject: Thank you
Dear FedEx & the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation,
I wanted to thank you so much for the free tree that I received in December 2008. I am a Marine wife on Camp Pendleton and it was an extremely hard year for me. My husband was deployment to Iraq from January 2008 to May 2008. He found out a week before Christmas 2007 that he had to go back. Then when he came home in May 2008, he received orders to report to Okinawa Japan in August 2008. He has always loved real Christmas trees (I always had an artificial tree) so picking out the Christmas tree was always a big deal to him and my 2 girls. This year was the first year that I had to pick out the tree by myself. Thankful your organization made this an easy task for me. The trees were big and beautiful. The whole event brought me to tears. I must have hugged 10-20 FedEx workers who were on hand - they must have thought I was nuts! I wanted them all to know how much this meant to me and my girls. Everything has a happy ending - I found out that day (12/5) that my husband would be able to come home for Christmas. That tree stood in my livingroom from 12/5 thru 12/23 undecorated waiting for him to come home. I watered it everyday so that it would last until he came and it did!
I just wanted to all to know that your kindness, dedication and generosity was greatly appreciated. My family thanks you from the bottom of our hearts. Please see attached picture of the decorated tree.Sincerely,
Tanya Foreman
USMC WifeCamp Pendleton CA
From: Vesper Bitle
To: mystory@treesfortroops.org
Subject: Christmas tree
Thank you so much for making our Christmas special!!
My husband is deployed and so I thought we would just get an artificial tree. I saw the trees for troops program and signed up for it, but didn't know if there would be enough trees. Well I went out and bought an artificial tree and then received a call that there were plenty of real Christmas trees. We went to look to see what we could find...my 9 year old found the perfect tree!!! Needless to say, we returned the artificial one (which was a big help) and we set up our tree that we received from trees for troops. It was a challenge being my first time doing that alone, but in the end it worked out and we had many wonderful surprises with the tree. We actually found a little birds nest inside & added it to the tree as an ornament. Our three boys were thrilled with it all...as you can see the happy faces in our pictures!!! Here is a before decorating, after decorating and photos of our three sons for you. Again, thank you for making it a very special Christmas!!
God bless you,
Vesper, Nicholas, Taryl & Toby Bitle
Trees for Troops
My Story E-mails 2009
From: Emily Miller
To: info@christmasspiritfoundation.org
Subject: Thank you
Thank you so much Trees for Troops and Glove Hollow Farm at Fort Knox, KY. We appreciate your donation and your continual support for soldiers and their families. It is very encouraging that you care.
Sgt. Justin Miller, Emily and Davis
Fort Knox, KY
From: Erin Bill
To: mystory@treesfortroops.org
Subject: Thank you!
To whom it may concern:
Please thank all your sponsors and contributors on our behalf this year for their amazing generosity. My husband and I just got married this summer; he is active duty Air Force and we are stationed in the cold north here at Ellsworth Air Force Base. This morning after he got home from working the midnight shift, we were able to drive across base and pick up a beautiful tree for FREE. I can't believe it! What a wonderful gift. Our dog and cat have been exploring the tree all morning, and I'm adding lights and ornaments. It has been a busy and sometimes stressful year, and this gift of a Christmas tree just makes me smile all over...it is just what we needed.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
Erin and Jeff Bill
28th Maintenance Squadron
Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota
From: Sabbatino, Lisa Mr DoD Ben
To: mystory@treesfortroops.org
Subject: trees for troops
I just want to say thank you for donating the trees to military families. I know that my family greatly appreciates it. My husband has had to miss many holidays, birthdays, and many other special events over the years. Its never gets any easier. But we do the best we can to cope. I picked up my tree today at Ft.Carson, and it is one of the most beautiful trees my family has had. I just want to say thank you for thinking of us. We really do appreciate it.
Lisa Sabbatino
From: Jared & Rochelle Laskey
To: mystory@treesfortroops.org
Subject: Thank you!
I just wanted to express my thanks for the beautiful Christmas tree we received at Camp Lejeune today. Having a live tree will make this Christmas all the more special, particularly since it's the first one we get to spend with my husband in three years. Thank you for your generosity and God bless you! Rochelle Laskey, wife of Cpl. Laskey (USMC)
From: Jennifer Molina
To: mystory@treesfortroops.org
Subject: Thank You!
First of all, I want to say Thank you, thank you so much for the tree. I love it so much. We have never had a real tree before. My husband and I have been married for 6 years and never had a real tree because it was too expensive. Here is our story. My husband is currently in Iraq waiting to come home. His flight keeps getting canceled. This christmas is very important to us because he will meet his 4 month old son for the first time. Our Daughter Aliyah keeps counting the days till she can be with daddy and watch cartoons together again. This is our first deployment and it has been hard, but it has kept us all strong. I attached a picture of the tree next to our fireplace. It is not decorated because we are hoping daddy will be home soon to help us decorate. One again thank you so much for giving us a tree and making our christmas alot more jolly. Jennifer Molina(785) 579-6927 "When you feel like giving up,remember why you held on for so long in the first place"
From: ewoods999@
To: mystory@treesfortroops.org
Subject: Thank you Trees for Troops
Thanks to all the organization's and employees that made Trees for Troops possible this year.
My husband and I appreciate the beautiful tree provided us this year at Fort Lewis. The money we didn't spend on a tree went to buying food for junior enlisted soldiers and their families for their christmas dinner. Because of your gift we were able to pay it forward.
Thanks again for our tree and may all of you enjoy a joyous and safe holiday season.
Best regards,
Bill and Liz Moore
Washington
From: "MR. R BROWNING"
To: mystory@treesfortroops.org
Subject: Thank you
I just wanted to thank your organization so much for our tree. Money was a bit tight this year and getting a free tree made things somewhat easier. Our son is leaving in mid- January for Fort Bragg and then he's going to Afghanistan. This gesture made our holiday so much brighter. Thank you so much.
Hoping you had a Merry Christmas
Peace to everyone in the New Year,
Margaret Browning
To Whom It May Concern:
Hello and Happy Holidays to you all. My name is Britt Heinbaugh Ross and I am a thankful recipient of a tree from the Trees for Troops program. We just love our tree, and had great fun decorating it as well. This is our daughter Olivia’s first Christmas that she’s really aware of things and comes in each morning to where the tree is displayed to say, “ohhhh!” Great memories for us, those memories you helped bring out by your wonderful generosity to the Trees for Troops program. We are especially grateful this holiday season as my husband Chaplain Jeff Ross aka “Dada” is not here with us but serving in Iraq. Having the tree easily accessible for me through this program was just another task that I did not have to endure alone with a toddler. So again, I thank you very, very much. This program means a great deal too many here on Camp Pendleton, that I have personally talked with and have casually met while waiting in line for the tree.
Seasons Greetings and Happy New Year!
All our best,
Britt and Olivia Ross
From: Tanya
To: mystory@treesfortroops.org
Subject: Thank you
Dear FedEx & the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation,
I wanted to thank you so much for the free tree that I received in December 2008. I am a Marine wife on Camp Pendleton and it was an extremely hard year for me. My husband was deployment to Iraq from January 2008 to May 2008. He found out a week before Christmas 2007 that he had to go back. Then when he came home in May 2008, he received orders to report to Okinawa Japan in August 2008. He has always loved real Christmas trees (I always had an artificial tree) so picking out the Christmas tree was always a big deal to him and my 2 girls. This year was the first year that I had to pick out the tree by myself. Thankful your organization made this an easy task for me. The trees were big and beautiful. The whole event brought me to tears. I must have hugged 10-20 FedEx workers who were on hand - they must have thought I was nuts! I wanted them all to know how much this meant to me and my girls. Everything has a happy ending - I found out that day (12/5) that my husband would be able to come home for Christmas. That tree stood in my livingroom from 12/5 thru 12/23 undecorated waiting for him to come home. I watered it everyday so that it would last until he came and it did!
I just wanted to all to know that your kindness, dedication and generosity was greatly appreciated. My family thanks you from the bottom of our hearts. Please see attached picture of the decorated tree.Sincerely,
Tanya Foreman
USMC WifeCamp Pendleton CA
From: Vesper Bitle
To: mystory@treesfortroops.org
Subject: Christmas tree
Thank you so much for making our Christmas special!!
My husband is deployed and so I thought we would just get an artificial tree. I saw the trees for troops program and signed up for it, but didn't know if there would be enough trees. Well I went out and bought an artificial tree and then received a call that there were plenty of real Christmas trees. We went to look to see what we could find...my 9 year old found the perfect tree!!! Needless to say, we returned the artificial one (which was a big help) and we set up our tree that we received from trees for troops. It was a challenge being my first time doing that alone, but in the end it worked out and we had many wonderful surprises with the tree. We actually found a little birds nest inside & added it to the tree as an ornament. Our three boys were thrilled with it all...as you can see the happy faces in our pictures!!! Here is a before decorating, after decorating and photos of our three sons for you. Again, thank you for making it a very special Christmas!!
God bless you,
Vesper, Nicholas, Taryl & Toby Bitle
Friday, December 19, 2008
More tree questions - including odors
From: Elpisnrev
Sent: Friday, December 19, 2008 7:26 AM
To: info@realchristmastrees.org
Subject: Blog Talk Ideas
Christmas tree water starting to smell foul:
I see that I am not the only person who has a problem with a foul smell from the water after a week or so. It's rather pungent, to the point where I have looked to see if someone has thrown up behind my sofa cushions.....
I have noticed that this is the same smell from pine sawdust that has gotten wet and been covered for a small amount of time. I think it's just the natural bacteria in the tree fiber that gets into the water, that is kept at room temperature and VIOLA!....you have a christmas petri dish.
I cleaned out the water with a turkey baster, put in a smaller amount of fresh water (tree doesn't seem to absorb as much now) and added a little peppermint oil. I should have gotten pine oil though....
That has worked for the last week.
Happy Holidays,
Vernon
Siple, MI
Hello Vernon.
You know, it's an interesting phenomenon, how I get that question each year. I'm still convinced it's not that common, but I guess when it happens, it's something that moves people to take action and they do some internet searching and once they find our site, write in a question about it. I've never personally experienced it, so I can't completely get a handle on it. I know you didn't put anything in your tree's water, but I know that's a very common culprit once people explain in an email that they put stuff in their water. One time -- I'm not making this up -- a lady told me she had taken a whole tree feeding spike, the kind you push into the ground near a tree to release nitrogen in the soil around it's roots, and crushed it up and put in the tree stand with the water. Well, needless to say, her water stink, stank, stunk.
I also had a lady write to say that her tree smelled like fish. ???? She thought at first it was because she was pregnant, but then her husband said he smelled it too and since he's not pregnant, that couldn't be the cause.
You may have a point about naturally occurring bacteria, but I would think if that was the case it would be more common. If it was more common, I wouldn't think 32 million families would enjoy a farm-grown tree each year.
I dunno ...like I said, I've never experienced a foul smell coming from any Christmas tree I've ever had, so I can't quite put my finger on it. Interesting idea on the peppermint oil. I think you can also put a little baking soda in the water if it really does smell bad. It will neutralize odor (just like the box in the fridge does) and as a base, it won't harm the plant tissue of the tree. One thing I always do -- and I should add this to our tips section -- is I take my stand outside and hose it out good both before putting my tree up and after I take it down before storing it with the other decorations. I think this helps get rid of dust, dirt, needles and maybe any bacteria like you mentioned.
Merry Christmas!
From: MARIA
Sent: Saturday, December 13, 2008 7:46 PM
To: info@realchristmastrees.org
Subject: FAQ Addition
We have noticed a sudden odor that seems to be coming from the tree. It is not coming from the water base as we were suspecting. What could it be?
What species of tree is it Maria? Crush/split open a few needles between your fingers and see if that releases an "evergreen" scent...unless it is a White Spruce, which has a distinctive odor most people would describe as unpleasant.
From: Maria
Sent: Monday, December 15, 2008 1:50 PM
To: Rick Dungey
Subject: Re: RE: FAQ Addition
The only information I could get on the tree was it is a balsam tree from New Brunswick. Same place, same supplier I always get my tree from. One site online mentioned some trees are sprayed with fox urine, ? to deter deer or other tree eating animals? It actually does smell like the dogs went on the carpet, but there is no carpet in the room.
Crushed the needles. Definately evergreen smell but not the typical fragrance of a xmas tree. If you can shed any light on the mystery, thanks. If not, thanks for your efforts and email reply. I think the tree is going on the porch either way.
Merry Christmas,
Maria
Deer deterrent such as animal urine, when used, are typically applied to the ground around a field, not directly on a Christmas tree right before harvest. I wouldn't consider that a culprit. Now, that doesn't mean that some actual animal didn't soil that tree while it was growing in the field, but it would have had to be right before it was harvested I would think and among all the thousands of trees in a field ...I'd call that a very remote possibility.
It's more likely dirt, moisture and such. And I know you said it wasn't coming from the water in the stand but that is most often the culprit of a foul odor I've found over the years of answering questions about trees. Did you add anything to the water?
From: Maria
Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 6:53 AM
To: Rick Dungey
Subject: Re:FAQ Addition
Hi Rick,
Thanks so much for the information. No, I did not add anything to the water. I feel much better knowing that some foul animal chemical was not sprayed on the tree. Should I try baking soda in the water as another blogger suggested? So far I have not done anything except spray Lysol, open the windows & bother you. I am very close to putting the tree on the porch outside against the kids wishes.
Thanks again,
Maria
first of all, you're not bothering me ...this is what I do
I recommend baking soda in the water to people who have put something in the water that is making it stinky. I'm not making this up....one time a lady wrote to me and said she had taken a whole evergreen feeding spike, the kind you push into the ground near a tree's roots so it gets nitrogen all year, and crushed it and put it in the tree's water stand. Ugghhhhh. But, since you didn't put anything in the water, I don't think it's the culprit and baking soda wouldn't help.
When you say it is not a "typical fragrance of a Christmas tree" when you crushed the needles, that actually makes me think it is not a Balsam fir. Because...well, to probably 96.3% of the population, you couldn't get a MORE christmas tree type smell than crushed Balsam needles. I suspect it might actually be a White Spruce, which many people say has a disagreeable odor when the needles are crushed. It's very similar in appearance to a Balsam, so many people coudn't tell the difference. http://www.christmastree.org/trees/wht_spr.cfm
If that is not the case, then my money is on something inside the foliage of the tree which is wet and decomposing...like maybe a bird's nest or a bunch of leaves or some other kind of organic matter.
Hello again Rick,
I think you hit the nail on the head. It must be a white spruce. The tree does not look any different than the ones we have had in the past but I am not the most observant. Will have my husband look at the link you sent and see what he thinks later.
The odor is not as bad as last week. I think I looked the tree over pretty well and I don't think anything is decomposing in it. That is unless a little mouse has drowned in the base and I can't see it. That might explain the strong odor that started abruptly and is slowly dissipating. All that being said, we don't usually have mice.
Now that the smell had eased up, I am not tossing the tree. Besides, the kids get bummed out when I mention it.
Thanks for the tips. I won't put anything in the water. If we don't put the lights on for too long the scent is less noticeable.
I will definately email you the day after xmas when we dismantle the tree if we find any evidence of decomp or anything else unusual.
Merry Christmas!
and a watering question
From: Victoria
Sent: Monday, December 15, 2008 6:15 PM
To: info@realchristmastrees.org.
Subject: Tree wilted overnight
Hi,
We live in Northern California.
We picked up a 7-foot Noble Fir at our local Home Depot. It smelled good, was very green and still wet inside, most likely from being on the truck. We tested the branches. Bent kneedles. All good. No loss or breakage.
When we got home we made a fresh straight cut and immediately put the tree in the stand in the water. 36 hours later the branches are all wilted and facing down. Is there anything we can do to perk it back up?
I’m very worried it died. Which would suck because it is fully decorated already.
Help?
Is the tree absorbing water from the stand Victoria? What is the outside temperature lately where you live?
From: Victoria Holl [mailto:VHoll@vocera.com]
Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 12:12 PM
To: Rick Dungey
Subject: RE: Tree wilted overnight
Hi Rick,
The tree does seem to be absorbing water. An inch or so a day is gone from the stand.
Our days have been in the low 60s and our nights in the 40s. My husband is the total heat miser so our heater is almost never on.
Victoria
Hmm...well, that's unusual to say the least. I'm encouraged that it does seem to be absorbing water, albeit slowly. But variations in the rate of water absorption is normal, and with you keeping your home cooler than typical that will slow down the rate at which the tree loses moisture.
Was there anything applied to the tree?
If a tree was overly-dry to begin with, you would be able to tell that at the lot, and from what you describe it doesn't seem that way. Also, a tree past what we call the "point of no return" wouldn't be absorbing any water at all.
Exposure to short extremes of heat or cold can cause the foliage to "burn" changing it's appearance. One of the most common examples of this is people who haul their tree home in the bed of a pick up truck. The truck's exhaust heats that surface area and when people get their tree home later they notice that one side of it looks like it was burned. The other common example in colder areas, is someone laying their tree on frozen concrete for a while...that can cause "burning" of the foliage as well.
If you don't think the tree was exposed to any short temperature extremes or or any other external material (hopefully you did apply any fire retardant to it), then I would say just keep tabs on whether it is still absorbing water. Trees are in a state of dormancy when they are harvested, and sometimes it can take a while for that condition to reverse as the tree warms and absorbs water.
Sent: Friday, December 19, 2008 7:26 AM
To: info@realchristmastrees.org
Subject: Blog Talk Ideas
Christmas tree water starting to smell foul:
I see that I am not the only person who has a problem with a foul smell from the water after a week or so. It's rather pungent, to the point where I have looked to see if someone has thrown up behind my sofa cushions.....
I have noticed that this is the same smell from pine sawdust that has gotten wet and been covered for a small amount of time. I think it's just the natural bacteria in the tree fiber that gets into the water, that is kept at room temperature and VIOLA!....you have a christmas petri dish.
I cleaned out the water with a turkey baster, put in a smaller amount of fresh water (tree doesn't seem to absorb as much now) and added a little peppermint oil. I should have gotten pine oil though....
That has worked for the last week.
Happy Holidays,
Vernon
Siple, MI
Hello Vernon.
You know, it's an interesting phenomenon, how I get that question each year. I'm still convinced it's not that common, but I guess when it happens, it's something that moves people to take action and they do some internet searching and once they find our site, write in a question about it. I've never personally experienced it, so I can't completely get a handle on it. I know you didn't put anything in your tree's water, but I know that's a very common culprit once people explain in an email that they put stuff in their water. One time -- I'm not making this up -- a lady told me she had taken a whole tree feeding spike, the kind you push into the ground near a tree to release nitrogen in the soil around it's roots, and crushed it up and put in the tree stand with the water. Well, needless to say, her water stink, stank, stunk.
I also had a lady write to say that her tree smelled like fish. ???? She thought at first it was because she was pregnant, but then her husband said he smelled it too and since he's not pregnant, that couldn't be the cause.
You may have a point about naturally occurring bacteria, but I would think if that was the case it would be more common. If it was more common, I wouldn't think 32 million families would enjoy a farm-grown tree each year.
I dunno ...like I said, I've never experienced a foul smell coming from any Christmas tree I've ever had, so I can't quite put my finger on it. Interesting idea on the peppermint oil. I think you can also put a little baking soda in the water if it really does smell bad. It will neutralize odor (just like the box in the fridge does) and as a base, it won't harm the plant tissue of the tree. One thing I always do -- and I should add this to our tips section -- is I take my stand outside and hose it out good both before putting my tree up and after I take it down before storing it with the other decorations. I think this helps get rid of dust, dirt, needles and maybe any bacteria like you mentioned.
Merry Christmas!
From: MARIA
Sent: Saturday, December 13, 2008 7:46 PM
To: info@realchristmastrees.org
Subject: FAQ Addition
We have noticed a sudden odor that seems to be coming from the tree. It is not coming from the water base as we were suspecting. What could it be?
What species of tree is it Maria? Crush/split open a few needles between your fingers and see if that releases an "evergreen" scent...unless it is a White Spruce, which has a distinctive odor most people would describe as unpleasant.
From: Maria
Sent: Monday, December 15, 2008 1:50 PM
To: Rick Dungey
Subject: Re: RE: FAQ Addition
The only information I could get on the tree was it is a balsam tree from New Brunswick. Same place, same supplier I always get my tree from. One site online mentioned some trees are sprayed with fox urine, ? to deter deer or other tree eating animals? It actually does smell like the dogs went on the carpet, but there is no carpet in the room.
Crushed the needles. Definately evergreen smell but not the typical fragrance of a xmas tree. If you can shed any light on the mystery, thanks. If not, thanks for your efforts and email reply. I think the tree is going on the porch either way.
Merry Christmas,
Maria
Deer deterrent such as animal urine, when used, are typically applied to the ground around a field, not directly on a Christmas tree right before harvest. I wouldn't consider that a culprit. Now, that doesn't mean that some actual animal didn't soil that tree while it was growing in the field, but it would have had to be right before it was harvested I would think and among all the thousands of trees in a field ...I'd call that a very remote possibility.
It's more likely dirt, moisture and such. And I know you said it wasn't coming from the water in the stand but that is most often the culprit of a foul odor I've found over the years of answering questions about trees. Did you add anything to the water?
From: Maria
Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 6:53 AM
To: Rick Dungey
Subject: Re:FAQ Addition
Hi Rick,
Thanks so much for the information. No, I did not add anything to the water. I feel much better knowing that some foul animal chemical was not sprayed on the tree. Should I try baking soda in the water as another blogger suggested? So far I have not done anything except spray Lysol, open the windows & bother you. I am very close to putting the tree on the porch outside against the kids wishes.
Thanks again,
Maria
first of all, you're not bothering me ...this is what I do
I recommend baking soda in the water to people who have put something in the water that is making it stinky. I'm not making this up....one time a lady wrote to me and said she had taken a whole evergreen feeding spike, the kind you push into the ground near a tree's roots so it gets nitrogen all year, and crushed it and put it in the tree's water stand. Ugghhhhh. But, since you didn't put anything in the water, I don't think it's the culprit and baking soda wouldn't help.
When you say it is not a "typical fragrance of a Christmas tree" when you crushed the needles, that actually makes me think it is not a Balsam fir. Because...well, to probably 96.3% of the population, you couldn't get a MORE christmas tree type smell than crushed Balsam needles. I suspect it might actually be a White Spruce, which many people say has a disagreeable odor when the needles are crushed. It's very similar in appearance to a Balsam, so many people coudn't tell the difference. http://www.christmastree.org/trees/wht_spr.cfm
If that is not the case, then my money is on something inside the foliage of the tree which is wet and decomposing...like maybe a bird's nest or a bunch of leaves or some other kind of organic matter.
Hello again Rick,
I think you hit the nail on the head. It must be a white spruce. The tree does not look any different than the ones we have had in the past but I am not the most observant. Will have my husband look at the link you sent and see what he thinks later.
The odor is not as bad as last week. I think I looked the tree over pretty well and I don't think anything is decomposing in it. That is unless a little mouse has drowned in the base and I can't see it. That might explain the strong odor that started abruptly and is slowly dissipating. All that being said, we don't usually have mice.
Now that the smell had eased up, I am not tossing the tree. Besides, the kids get bummed out when I mention it.
Thanks for the tips. I won't put anything in the water. If we don't put the lights on for too long the scent is less noticeable.
I will definately email you the day after xmas when we dismantle the tree if we find any evidence of decomp or anything else unusual.
Merry Christmas!
and a watering question
From: Victoria
Sent: Monday, December 15, 2008 6:15 PM
To: info@realchristmastrees.org.
Subject: Tree wilted overnight
Hi,
We live in Northern California.
We picked up a 7-foot Noble Fir at our local Home Depot. It smelled good, was very green and still wet inside, most likely from being on the truck. We tested the branches. Bent kneedles. All good. No loss or breakage.
When we got home we made a fresh straight cut and immediately put the tree in the stand in the water. 36 hours later the branches are all wilted and facing down. Is there anything we can do to perk it back up?
I’m very worried it died. Which would suck because it is fully decorated already.
Help?
Is the tree absorbing water from the stand Victoria? What is the outside temperature lately where you live?
From: Victoria Holl [mailto:VHoll@vocera.com]
Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 12:12 PM
To: Rick Dungey
Subject: RE: Tree wilted overnight
Hi Rick,
The tree does seem to be absorbing water. An inch or so a day is gone from the stand.
Our days have been in the low 60s and our nights in the 40s. My husband is the total heat miser so our heater is almost never on.
Victoria
Hmm...well, that's unusual to say the least. I'm encouraged that it does seem to be absorbing water, albeit slowly. But variations in the rate of water absorption is normal, and with you keeping your home cooler than typical that will slow down the rate at which the tree loses moisture.
Was there anything applied to the tree?
If a tree was overly-dry to begin with, you would be able to tell that at the lot, and from what you describe it doesn't seem that way. Also, a tree past what we call the "point of no return" wouldn't be absorbing any water at all.
Exposure to short extremes of heat or cold can cause the foliage to "burn" changing it's appearance. One of the most common examples of this is people who haul their tree home in the bed of a pick up truck. The truck's exhaust heats that surface area and when people get their tree home later they notice that one side of it looks like it was burned. The other common example in colder areas, is someone laying their tree on frozen concrete for a while...that can cause "burning" of the foliage as well.
If you don't think the tree was exposed to any short temperature extremes or or any other external material (hopefully you did apply any fire retardant to it), then I would say just keep tabs on whether it is still absorbing water. Trees are in a state of dormancy when they are harvested, and sometimes it can take a while for that condition to reverse as the tree warms and absorbs water.
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