20 November 2020
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Christmas is always a beacon of light during the dark winter. In 2020 it is especially important to celebrate the season of goodwill after COVID19 has cast such a dark shadow over 2020.
Every year we hear the slogan of ‘Shop Local’ so as we head towards Christmas, how will this affect your buying decision for a key item? I don’t mean the presents under the tree, I mean the tree itself!
You will be familiar with the classic benefits of a real tree;
- Better for the environment, (in that it is a biodegradable product, and doesn’t need to be imported.)
- The lovely smell in your living room.
But there are other benefits which are less obvious;
- You will be supporting a local farmer and tree grower.
- The process of bringing it home adds to your families experiences.
It’s only when you get older that you realise that much of the excitement around Christmas comes from spending time with your family doing working together on shared projects.
As an adult, the mere act of going to buy the tree locally may seem like a chore but actually, it’s a memory that children cherish in later years. The fun of choosing the best tree for your home – be it from a retail location or a farm – then putting it into the car, taking it into the house, and erecting it (then hoovering up the needles!); these are actually positive shared family experiences. Memories are made of this!
When choosing a tree you should know what height and width will suit your room. We all have funny stories about someone who bought an impressive tree which would suit a stately home, only to find it overpowered their normal sized suburban hallway or sitting room.
If you are still not convinced that real is better than plastic, then consider that every acre of trees provides 18 people with oxygen on a daily basis. That same 1-acre removes 225kg of carbon dioxide from the air each year.
Where to buy a locally grown Christmas tree in Cork?
Corkchristmastrees.com grow their premium Christmas trees in County Cork.
You can buy a tree at either of their two locations
- 1) Cork Christmas Trees located on Centre Park Road is a retail outlet – a tree shop! – plus it’s under canvass you can visit in comfort even if it’s raining
or you could visit their Farm, for a different experience; - 2) Cork Christmas Trees Farm, is where you can pick a live tree, and watch it being harvested from the farm.
About Cork Christmas Trees
Their impressive plantation was seeded in 2003, and has grown (pun intended)ever since! It’s a family-owned Cork business.
Every year they plant thousands of non-shed trees. They favour the varieties known as ‘Noble fir’ and ‘Nordmann fir’, because customer feedback revealed these have the all important shape, size, and crisp aroma that Cork customers like best. A tree can take up to 8 years to reach 6 ft after being planted. Throughout the year the farm ensures their trees are well maintained performing various tasks to produce a high-quality crop.
Cork Christmas Trees are members of Irish Christmas Tree Growers and have more than 20 years’ experience in Forestry and Christmas Trees. Their goal is to provide an attractive, high quality sustainable Christmas tree.
Related video: Christmas music