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Holidays:  Oh Christmas Tree!  |
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asnedecor
True Blue Farmgirl
1054 Posts
Anne
Portland
Or
USA
1054 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 09 2006 : 07:40:57 AM
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Today we are off to get our tree. Usually we go to the local tree farm, hike around a bit till we find one and then cut it down. Even though Oregon is one of the largest producers of Christmas trees, the cost seems to be going up every year, especially for a tree that is over 6'. So this year we are heading to one of the ranger offices for a permit ($5) to cut a tree down in the Mt. Hood National Forest. Should be interesting. You can get a tree up to 12' for this price - though we only need about a 8' tree. I'll try to remember the camera and take photos of our adventure and hopefully we can find one without too much trouble.
Anne in Portland
"Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them" Eyeore from Winnie the Pooh
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ArmyWifey
True Blue Farmgirl
712 Posts
Holly
Abilene
KS
712 Posts |
Posted - Dec 09 2006 : 08:33:25 AM
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We did this once when I was in junior high. Lots of fun but tiring! and just remember that looks are deceiving outside and you can come back with a huge tree without meaning too!
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!
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asnedecor
True Blue Farmgirl
1054 Posts
Anne
Portland
Or
USA
1054 Posts |
Posted - Dec 11 2006 : 06:55:10 AM
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Well it was a bust. We stomped around in about a foot + of snow for 2+ hours and not one tree. Not even a little 3' "Charlie Brown" tree. It was nice weather, not raining and not real cold, but no trees. We saw trees in areas where we were not allowed to cut, but nothing. So we had lunch at the historic Zig Zag cafe and then came down the mountain, stopped at a tiny little tree farm and got a wonderful price on a 7'+ noble fir. We decided it was a donation to the US Forest service for all they do . DH kept saying, "Who's idea was this?" I just smiled and told him I was just along for the ride. I have pictures to post and will when I get home from work. Anyone out there have a good Christmas tree hunting story?
Anne in Portland
"Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them" Eyeore from Winnie the Pooh
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - Dec 11 2006 : 07:22:33 AM
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Well, I don't know if it's a GOOD story, but I certainly remember our tree experience last year...
My husband decided that we were going to cut down a tree for the first time last year. So, we trek out into our rural county to a tree farm--I had my choice of 2 farms, picked one furthest out. I had a terrible terrible cold that no amount of medicine seemed to help, and it was 13 degrees and snowing, so I was miserable, but trying to be festive.
We pulled up, and there was only one other crazy family there on that day. It was fitting that it happened to be my husband's former boss,who had a few months before, been fired for credit card theft and online gambling while at work and attempted to name his employees by using their employee codes when entering amounts on the cc machine, and their names on the online gambling accounts while he was on his management shift. It was a HUGE legal ordeal for sometime before my husband and his co-workers were all cleared and it was found out who the real culprit was...So, back to the farm...We were getting out of our car when they were bringing out their tree and we recognized each other. The old boss scoffed to us (and his wife), "Well, they'll let just about anyone buy a tree here, won't they???" I guess that,instead of hitting him  my husband just chose to say something under his breath, and literally run down this snow filled hill and leave me standing there in front of this guy, his wife and kids, smiling awkwardly and stating that "I have a real bad cold, don't get too close" and then quickly following my husband...I tried to continue the festive mood, but he really took out his feelings on that poor tree while cutting it down--took no time at all!!!
We ended up with the most painful christmas tree I've ever had--it actually hurt to decorate it, and drew blood.
A few weeks ago, I said, "where are we getting our tree this year?" to which my husband replied, "hopefully a less mortifying, injury free farm"....
So, now to December...
Just think of all of the roads there are...all of the things I haven't seen....yet. |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
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asnedecor
True Blue Farmgirl
1054 Posts
Anne
Portland
Or
USA
1054 Posts |
Posted - Dec 11 2006 : 3:25:29 PM
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Jonni -
Sorry for the bad experience, but kinda funny. I am sure this year will be better. DH kept saying Saturday, why are we doing this and I would reply because you said it would be fun to see some snow and hike around and get a tree. So much for that. We really did luck out, it wasn't raining and it wasn't really cold. So it was fine. We have been tree hunting in terrible downpours and come home soaking wet and very tired. This was really painless.
Anne in Portland
"Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them" Eyeore from Winnie the Pooh
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asnedecor
True Blue Farmgirl
1054 Posts
Anne
Portland
Or
USA
1054 Posts |
Posted - Dec 11 2006 : 5:44:18 PM
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Okay - here is a shot of me with the tree from the tree farm. DH and the owner got it up on the vehicle, which meant no hauling for me.
[ ]
Here is our tree decorated.
So I guess it all worked out fine 
Anne in Portland
"Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them" Eyeore from Winnie the Pooh
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Marybeth
True Blue Farmgirl
6418 Posts
Mary Beth
Stanwood
Wa 98292
USA
6418 Posts |
Posted - Dec 11 2006 : 5:52:14 PM
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A beautiful tree, Anne. And as you say it all worked out fine. Yippee!!
www.strawberryhillsfarm.blogspot.com
"Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance!" |
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bramble
True Blue Farmgirl
2044 Posts
2044 Posts |
Posted - Dec 11 2006 : 7:50:48 PM
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Anne- what type of tree? It has a very nice shape and it looks beautiful decorated! We have yet to get ours but usually are late, since we keep it up for a while!
When Z was really small and all bundled up in his "Christmas Story" snowsuit, we went to get our tree at a local farm we know. Sometime during the week a large truck had driven through and made enormous ruts all over the place. It rained and froze and we were stumbling
over these hurdles trying to find the perfect tree. All at once Z yelled "I fouwnd it, I fouwnd it" and started running. Until he ended up face first in one of these huge frozen ruts and broke through the ice. Poor kid, he didn't even cry just looked up and said
"You better like that tree 'cos I'm not looking at any mowre"! A quick trip home to change and some hot cocoa saved the day! But he still asks if we are going to "THAT" farm!
with a happy heart |
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asnedecor
True Blue Farmgirl
1054 Posts
Anne
Portland
Or
USA
1054 Posts |
Posted - Dec 11 2006 : 8:05:25 PM
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We usually get a noble fir - which this one is. We try to find tree farms that don't prune the heck out of the trees. This was a small farm and the tree had only been pruned a little. If we can't get a noble, then we go for a douglas fir, again we look for the unpruned. Many farms are now letting some of their trees go a bit more natural - usually the taller trees are let go this way, which works out for us.
Anne
"Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them" Eyeore from Winnie the Pooh
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Celticheart
True Blue Farmgirl
811 Posts
Marcia
WA
USA
811 Posts |
Posted - Dec 11 2006 : 9:07:13 PM
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A few years ago a friend of mine gave us a big and beautiful artificial tree that she was going to send to Goodwill. Before that we had always gone to the mountains and cut our Christmas trees. We live in a rural area in SE Washington that's about 20 miles from the Umatilla National Forest.
We've gone in on snowmobiles and pulled the trees out behind them. We've been so stuck in the snow we had to leave one pickup and all pile into the other one to get home. When my kids were small we would bundle them up, take the sleds and hot chocolate and head for the mountains to find a tree. This year our tree came from my dad's garden. He grows a few trees there every year. We have a really pretty blue spruce...lovely to look at but no fun to decorate.
"I suppose the pleasure of country life lies really in the eternally renewed evidence of the determination to live." Vita Sackville-West
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - Dec 12 2006 : 07:26:23 AM
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What a pretty tree, Anne--and a much easier "hunt", I guess. So nice to see it decorated, too!
Yeah, I'm hoping this year will be "pain free" all the way around! I think we're going tomorrow night to a local nursery!
Just think of all of the roads there are...all of the things I haven't seen....yet. |
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Marybeth
True Blue Farmgirl
6418 Posts
Mary Beth
Stanwood
Wa 98292
USA
6418 Posts |
Posted - Dec 12 2006 : 08:52:23 AM
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Well, we don't have our tree yet. I generally put one up the week before Christmas. So I'd better find one. I am beginning to decorate in the house though. I put some pictures on my blog. Take a look. thanks, MB
www.strawberryhillsfarm.blogspot.com
"Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance!" |
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Holidays: Oh Christmas Tree! |
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Oh Christmas Tree!
