ENVIRONMENT
Organic Christmas Trees Farms
Nowadays, both certified and non-certified organic Christmas trees farms exist. Many Christmas tree farms practice Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to reduce the reliance on chemical pesticides, thus producing organic trees. Most Christmas trees, however, are grown using conventional agricultural methods, and the growers regularly spray pesticides for various tree pests, and apply fertilizer to the plots. Switching to organic involves a learning curve, potential product loss, and perhaps little financial reward if you can't find the right market for your trees.
Insecticides are used by Christmas tree farmers to combat pests that cause cosmetic damage to trees. Environmental advocates measure the amount of active pesticide ingredient applied per tree, and point out the real damage that organophosphates (found in insecticides) do to workers and the environment. IPM is a great system of pest management, and may be spreading as an industry practice, but it's usually hard to know if those fresh Christmas trees include IPM trees.
How does one find an organic or locally grown live Christmas trees? Check out the local list of real Christmas tree farms and growers. Many cities and towns now have publications that list places to find local products, U-Pick farms, and markets. Find the guides at the food co-op, natural grocery store, community bulletin board, farmers' markets, or the internet.
