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Tag: Christmas trees

  • Where can you dispose of your Christmas tree or holiday decorations in the DC area? – WTOP News

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    The end of the holiday season is here, which may mean it’s time to take down that Christmas tree and garland in the house.

    The end of the holiday season is here, which may mean it’s time to take down that Christmas tree and garland in the house.

    But what do you do with it now? Here is a list of places in the D.C. region where you can get rid of them.

    DC

    The D.C. Department of Public Works is collecting holiday trees and greenery from Jan. 2 through Feb. 28 from DPW-serviced households. After Feb. 28, all holiday trees and greenery need to be placed at your normal point of collection for trash and recycling. The District asks you to use the curbside tree boxes and holiday tree drop-off options to compost all holiday trees and greenery.

    You can drop off your tree Monday through Friday at:

    • Bryant Street Sweep Shop (201 Bryant St. NW), 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    • Guy Mason Recreation Center (3600 Calvert St. NW), 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
    • DPW Salt Storage Facility (2700 South Capitol St. SE), 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

    Maryland

    Anne Arundel County

    Christmas trees and wreaths are considered yard waste and are picked up year-round in Anne Arundel County. Put them out with your yard waste on the curb before 6 a.m. Officials are asking residents to cut very tall trees in half so they can fit into the contractor’s truck.

    The county asks that you remove the tree stand, tree bags, lights, metal ornament hangers and all decorations.

    Charles County

    You can recycle your Christmas tree into free mulch by dropping it off at one of 12 different locations in the county through Jan. 10. Look for the Christmas tree recycling sign at the following locations:

    • Breeze Farm Recycling Center: 15950 Cobb Island Road, Cobb Island
    • Calvary Gospel Church: Route 228, 11150 Berry Road, Waldorf
    • Charles County Courthouse: Talbot Street, La Plata
    • Billingsley Road Recycling Center: 12305 Billingsley Road, Waldorf
    • Gilbert Run Park Recycling Center: 13140 Charles St., Charlotte Hall
    • Pinefield Park: Pinefield Road, Waldorf
    • Piney Church Road Mulch Facility: Piney Church Road, Waldorf
    • Pisgah Recycling Center: 6645 Mason Springs Road, La Plata
    • Route 5 Park N’ Ride: Mattawoman Beantown Road, Waldorf
    • Radio Station Road: Across from Laurel Springs Park in La Plata
    • Ruth B. Swann Memorial Park: Ruth B. Swann Drive, Bryans Road (off Route 210)
    • St. Nicholas Drive: St. Nicholas Drive, Waldorf (off Smallwood Drive)

    Frederick County

    Frederick does not collect Christmas trees curbside but does have a place where you can drop off your natural, cut tree at the Reichs Ford Road facility. 

    Trees can be brought there Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The facility is closed Jan. 1. Find more information on their website.

    Howard County

    It’s Merry Mulch season in Howard County, with the option to both have your tree picked up and to drop it off at nine different locations.

    If you have yard trim collection at your home, you can set your tree out the night before or the day of by 6 a.m. Trees must be cut into less than 4 feet in lengths and tied. Bundles must weigh less than 40 pounds.

    They can also be dropped off at the following spots:

    • Clarksville: Kendall Hardware (12260 Route 108)
    • Columbia: Cedar Lane Park (5081 Cedar Lane)
    • Elkridge: Rockburn Park (5400 Landing Road)
    • Ellicott City: Old Circuit Court upper parking at Court House Drive (just past Ellicott Mills Drive, on the right)
    • Highland: Schooley Mill Park (12975 Hall Shop Road), Marriottsville
    • Alpha Ridge Landfill Wood Waste Area (2350 Marriottsville Road)
    • Savage: Savage Park (8400 Fair St.)
    • Woodbine: Western Regional Park (14800 Carrs Mill Road)

    Montgomery County

    Trees are accepted year-round during curbside yard trim recycling collection. Residents can leave their trees on the curb by 7 a.m. on their recycling collection day.

    You can request a bulk trash pickup for your artificial trees.

    Prince George’s County

    Residents with county-provided yard trim collection in Prince George’s County can leave their Christmas trees on the curb by 6 a.m. on Mondays through January.

    Virginia

    Alexandria

    Those who receive city collection can place natural Christmas trees at their regular yard waste collection point, on their regularly scheduled collection day after Jan. 1 and before the end of the month.

    The trees will be composted and should be prepared by removing all ornaments, tinsel, lights and stands. Trees should be out before 6 a.m.

    To prepare natural wreaths and roping for collection, you should separate the greens from the wire.

    Arlington

    Get rid of your Christmas trees in Arlington with a special pickup on the first two full weeks of the new year.

    Trees collected in January are turned into mulch available from county facilities.

    From Jan. 5 through Jan. 16, place trees at the curb no later than 6 a.m. along with carts on your regular trash collection day after removing all decorations, nails and stands.

    After Jan. 16, the trees are handled at curbside as part of regular year-round yard waste collection.

    Fairfax County

    In Fairfax County, natural Christmas trees will be collected from Jan. 5 to 16 for recycling.

    After Jan. 16, you can schedule a brush special pickup to have the natural tree removed. Lights, decorations and stands must be removed.

    Loudoun County

    In Loudoun County, residents can leave their trees at these locations until mid-January:

    • Claude Moore Park (use Loudoun Park Lane entrance, follow Loudoun Park Lane until it ends) on 46150 Loudoun Park Lane in Sterling
    • Franklin Park on 17501 Franklin Park Drive in Purcellville
    • Loudoun County Landfill Recycling Dropoff Center on 21101 Evergreen Mills Road in Leesburg
    • Lovettsville Game Protective Association on 16 South Berlin Pike in Lovettsville
    • Meadows Pool Parking Lot on 42920 Center St. in South Riding

    Prince William County

    In Prince William County, as part of its yard waste collection program, residents can leave their cut Christmas trees on their scheduled yard waste collection day during the first two full weeks of January.

    Residents may also drop off their trees at the following locations during their hours of operation:

    • Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) on 5399 Wellington Branch Road in Gainesville (This drop-off area is in the parking lot and outlined with safety cones next to the building. It is only operational from Dec. 26 until Jan. 13).
    • The Compost Facility on 13000 Hansen Farm Road in Manassas
    • The Prince William County Landfill on 14811 Dumfries Road in Manassas

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    Valerie Bonk

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  • ‘It takes a village’: Christmas tree farms in Maryland prepare for the holiday season – WTOP News

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    It takes years to grow and months to shape up Christmas trees before farms, like Butler’s Orchard in Germantown, Maryland, can sell them.

    This article was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.

    Jerry Fleming drives a green-and-yellow John Deere tractor around Butler’s Orchard, circling the rows upon rows of Christmas trees — planted in fields he personally pulled the stumps from years ago and hand-sheared by him and his co-workers recently as they prepared for the holiday rush.

    “It’s never cold here — the weather might be cold, but the way we work, it’s never cold,” said Fleming, sporting overalls, a black-and-yellow flannel and sunglasses perched on his hat

    Fleming is one of the many workers at Butler’s Orchard in Germantown who work months, and years, for a couple of weeks of sales between Thanksgiving and Christmas — when they start all over again.

    Ben Butler, the farm’s finance and farm manager, calls the Christmas tree farm industry an “old man’s game” in reference to the time it takes to get a tree farm to the point where a farmer can begin selling trees.

    Butler’s Orchard is home to more than 44,000 trees — with 45 acres of land growing about 980 trees each. It typically takes about 10 years to get one of those fields to market size.

    A field at Butler’s is cleared for replanting each year. That includes adjusting the pH of the soil and removing old stumps. It takes a few weeks to clear each stump of the 2,000-2,500 cut-your-own trees the farm sells per holiday season.

    Butler’s Orchard farm and finance manager, Ben Butler, stands on Nov. 14 among rows of Christmas trees grown on the family-owned farm. (Photo by Sanya Wason)

    A cover crop is planted to rehabilitate the soil during the summer, followed by grass seed in September. New trees are finally planted in the spring and then tended for the next seven to eight years for the trees to get large enough to be sold.

    “We are hoping we can have enough [trees] to make everyone happy, but not enough to keep in this lot,” Butler said about selling enough trees to clear out the field after the holiday season.

    As they grow, trees are sheared by workers to keep the proper shape. Workers individually shear trees at sunrise in the warmer months, to avoid the heat, though sometimes work stretches through hotter times of the day. They wear shin and thigh guards to protect themselves from getting hurt from the shears, and are sometimes stung by bees who hang around the trees.

    “Every tree you see is hand sheared by somebody, somewhere — it’s a tough job,” Butler said.

    But Fleming says there are few complaints about the work. The mood is upbeat, said Fleming, who is known to bring a speaker to play Christmas music while he and his co-workers shape up the farm.

    “People beg us to come back to work here,” Fleming said. “You never even think about what time it is.”

    Fleming has worked at the farm since 2017, learning all he knows about trees during those eight years. He said the holiday season is his favorite time on the farm — bringing a nostalgic feeling of the “old days” when he would cut down a tree from the woods with his grandfather.

    Christmas trees are far from the only business at Butler’s Orchard, a pick-your-own farm with a calendar that starts in April for asparagus and continues through the end of October for apples and pumpkins, and hosts seasonal festivals throughout the year. That means workers spent recent weeks from autumn-themed attractions to the holiday season, with workers shoveling thousands of pounds of corn kernels out of a play area for kids on a Friday morning, and mowing paths between the rows of trees.

    Butler’s Orchard employee works on a wreath
    A Butler’s Orchard employee works on a wreath in the farm’s market on Nov. 14. (Photo by Sanya Wason)

    The area that now holds 750 pre-cut trees was changed over from Halloween decorations in a matter of days. It now boasts a holiday themed welcome sign and a Christmas tree made from stacked painted tires, along with a playground and petting zoo. The makeover was mostly done from Nov. 10-14 — even though Agritainment Manager Gina Giantonio called her team off work on Nov. 11, when a brisk wind made the temperatures feel below freezing.

    Giantonio was confident that her team would still be able to finish before the pre-cut trees arrived Nov. 19. Most of the pre-cut trees are shipped from North Carolina or Pennsylvania, to ensure taller trees are available for purchase, and the rest are grown at Butler’s.

    Workers get training each year on how to load trees onto the baler, which wraps trees in netting before customers take them home, and safely manage the trees each year during training. The cut-your-own workers go through similar training, with the addition of evening out the cut end of a tree and tying it to the customer’s car.

    “It takes a team — it takes a village,” Giantonio said. “You can’t just do it by yourself.”

    She recalled one day during a previous season when her team worked through pouring rain and slippery ice, yet still had at least 25 customers come to the pre-cut area to purchase trees.

    “You work around the elements, you’re here rain or shine — you’re a farmer,” Giantonio said.

    It’s not just the elements: Christmas tree farmers have been competing artificial trees, too.

    “We’re up against the fake tree — the fake tree industry has done a great job of marketing their trees and we need to combat that,” said Joncie Underwood, treasurer for the Maryland Christmas Tree Association.

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    Tadiwos Abedje

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  • OR Christmas Trees Benefit From Import Tariffs, Suffer With Exports – KXL

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    A truck drives Christmas trees harvested from Trout Creek Tree Farm in Corbett. Photo courtesy of Trout Creek Tree Farm.

    Corbett, Ore. – Around five-million Oregon Christmas trees will be harvested this season, with shipments already en route to destinations across the globe. Oregon Christmas Tree Growers Association President Tom Norby says President Trump’s tariffs are both good and bad for business. “Certainly, the most positive thing about it is the importation of artificial Christmas trees, those now having a tariff associated with them.” Norby, who also owns Trout Creek Tree Farm in Corbett, says, “I am hearing that they’re quite a bit more expensive and they’re probably going to be a little bit [in] short supply.”

    Around 84% of fake trees come from China and are subject to the import tax. “I personally wish the President would put a 200% tariff on artificial Christmas trees,” Norby tells KXL News.

    But Norby says, reciprocal tariffs have had a cooling effect on international sales of our trees. “Oregon Christmas tree growers also export a lot of trees overseas. So this year, that was down quite a bit.” He adds, “There was a number of buyers from overseas that did not come to look at trees this year, and did not place orders this year because they were too expensive, even though the freight getting over to China, Taiwan and Singapore was a lot less than last year.”

    Norby says around 90% of Oregon Christmas trees are sold domestically, though, where wholesale prices remain in line with last year, “Prices generally, at the wholesale level, are pretty stable. So hopefully that translates over to the retail level, and the retailers aren’t increasing the prices too much. Although, everything goes up.”

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    Heather Roberts

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  • Drought impacts Halloween pumpkins and Christmas trees in Alabama and leaf peeping in other states

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    Parts of Alabama are experiencing extreme drought conditions right now. The Forestry Commission has put the entire state under a fire danger advisory. The lack of rain is impacting many crops, which could affect our fall and winter holidays — including pumpkins and Christmas trees.And Alabama isn’t alone, as some states and regions from New England to the Rocky Mountains, which count on tourism dollars from leaf-peeping season, seeing, in some cases, leaves change colors earlier, muted colors, and fewer leaves to peep.According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, more than 40% of the country was considered to be in a drought in early October, the Associated Press reports.That’s more than twice the average, Brad Rippey, a U.S. Department of Agriculture meteorologist, told the AP.Rippey, an author of the drought monitor — which is a partnership between the federal government and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln — told the AP that drought has hit the Northeast and Western U.S. especially hard. Related video below: Colorful foliage started early this year because of drought conditionsAt The Great Pumpkin Patch in Hayden, Alabama, they grow some of their pumpkins; many of the small pie pumpkins come from their own fields. But because of a lack of rain, most are from farms in other states.For a day at the pumpkin patch, this dry, warm weather is perfect, but it’s not so great for the pumpkin growing season.Pumpkin Patch owner Julie Swann said, “We have not had rain, probably for us it’s been since August. And then prior to that, it was probably the good rains that we had, you know, April, maybe some of June.”The Great Pumpkin Patch is parched, and the drought does have an impact on the gourds they grow there.”It doesn’t necessarily affect the size simply because pumpkins take so long to produce. But it does the quantity, it affects that, you don’t have as many, you know, to produce as far as vines won’t produce as much without the rain,” Swann said. So the owners have to reach out to farmers in Tennessee and Michigan and buy their pumpkins to sell in Hayden, which is around 30 miles from Birmingham. And Halloween may not be the only holiday impacted by the drought. Paul Beavers at Beavers Christmas Tree Farm in Trafford, Alabama, said the lack of rain is particularly hard on his youngest, smallest trees.“If it continues all the way through winter, it might kill some of my smaller trees. Hopefully, it’ll stop sometime in the next month or two,” Beavers said.A lack of rain means the trees will just stop growing, so the drought could impact the size of your Christmas tree. But the trees tagged for sale are five years old or more, so problems might not be realized till Christmas of 2030.“We’re still going to have over 3000 trees ready to sell this year,” Beavers said. When the owners of the pumpkin patch have to buy more pumpkins from out-of-state farms, their costs increase, but they say this year, they are not raising prices for customers.They’ll have to re-evaluate that next fall. ___The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    HAYDEN, Ala. —

    Parts of Alabama are experiencing extreme drought conditions right now. The Forestry Commission has put the entire state under a fire danger advisory. The lack of rain is impacting many crops, which could affect our fall and winter holidays — including pumpkins and Christmas trees.

    And Alabama isn’t alone, as some states and regions from New England to the Rocky Mountains, which count on tourism dollars from leaf-peeping season, seeing, in some cases, leaves change colors earlier, muted colors, and fewer leaves to peep.

    According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, more than 40% of the country was considered to be in a drought in early October, the Associated Press reports.

    That’s more than twice the average, Brad Rippey, a U.S. Department of Agriculture meteorologist, told the AP.

    Rippey, an author of the drought monitor — which is a partnership between the federal government and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln — told the AP that drought has hit the Northeast and Western U.S. especially hard.

    Related video below: Colorful foliage started early this year because of drought conditions

    At The Great Pumpkin Patch in Hayden, Alabama, they grow some of their pumpkins; many of the small pie pumpkins come from their own fields. But because of a lack of rain, most are from farms in other states.

    For a day at the pumpkin patch, this dry, warm weather is perfect, but it’s not so great for the pumpkin growing season.

    Pumpkin Patch owner Julie Swann said, “We have not had rain, probably for us it’s been since August. And then prior to that, it was probably the good rains that we had, you know, April, maybe some of June.”

    The Great Pumpkin Patch is parched, and the drought does have an impact on the gourds they grow there.

    “It doesn’t necessarily affect the size simply because pumpkins take so long to produce. But it does the quantity, it affects that, you don’t have as many, you know, to produce as far as vines won’t produce as much without the rain,” Swann said.

    So the owners have to reach out to farmers in Tennessee and Michigan and buy their pumpkins to sell in Hayden, which is around 30 miles from Birmingham.

    And Halloween may not be the only holiday impacted by the drought. Paul Beavers at Beavers Christmas Tree Farm in Trafford, Alabama, said the lack of rain is particularly hard on his youngest, smallest trees.

    “If it continues all the way through winter, it might kill some of my smaller trees.
    Hopefully, it’ll stop sometime in the next month or two,” Beavers said.

    A lack of rain means the trees will just stop growing, so the drought could impact the size of your Christmas tree. But the trees tagged for sale are five years old or more, so problems might not be realized till Christmas of 2030.

    “We’re still going to have over 3000 trees ready to sell this year,” Beavers said.

    When the owners of the pumpkin patch have to buy more pumpkins from out-of-state farms, their costs increase, but they say this year, they are not raising prices for customers.

    They’ll have to re-evaluate that next fall.

    ___

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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  • Christmas tree arrives at Americana at Brand mall in Glendale

    Christmas tree arrives at Americana at Brand mall in Glendale

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    A 80-foot tall Christmas tree arrived Friday at the Americana at Brand mall in Glendale where it will soon be decorated with 12,000 lights and over 8,000 ornaments. 

    The white fir tree , which comes from the Mount Shasta region of Northern California, will soon be decorated with 12,000 lights and over 8,000 ornaments. 

    Starting Nov. 15 at the Americana snowfall will occur every night as visitors will be able to meet and take pictures with Santa. 

    Following the holiday season, 10 new trees will be planted in Mount Shasta, and the branches of the tree at the mall will be recycled. 

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    Benjamin Gamson

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  • Trump Insists He Hasn’t Read Mein Kampf

    Trump Insists He Hasn’t Read Mein Kampf

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    This article was featured in the One Story to Read Today newsletter. Sign up for it here.

    A little more than halfway into his speech in Waterloo, Iowa, last night, former President Donald Trump returned to his new favorite line.

    “They’re destroying the blood of our country,” Trump said, complaining that immigrants are arriving from Africa, Asia, South America, and “all over the world.” He said that unnamed individuals (presumably his advisers) do not like it when he uses these sorts of phrases. During this section of his speech, the packed crowd inside the Waterloo Convention Center was pin-drop silent. He suddenly assured everybody that he’s never read Mein Kampf. “They said, ‘Oh, Hitler said that,’” he explained, adding, “in a much different way.” Then he was right back to it. “They could bring in disease that’s going to catch on in our country,” Trump warned. “They’re destroying the blood of our country; they’re destroying the fabric of our country.”

    Trump has enjoyed a double-digit lead in the polls for months. “We could put this to bed after Iowa, if you want to know the truth,” he said of the GOP-primary race. His first-place finish in the caucus less than four weeks from now seems all but certain. He continues to trounce Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, whose campaign has become something like a balloon expelling air, chaotically fluttering in its descent. And although former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley has continued to rise in the polls, she remains a long shot in Iowa, and only slightly less of a long shot in New Hampshire. Congressional Republicans are coalescing around their leader. Over the weekend, Representatives Lee Zeldin of New York, Wesley Hunt of Texas, and Matt Gaetz of Florida were all stumping for Trump in Iowa. The former president smells it in the air. Last night, he seemed animated, as if taking a preemptive victory lap.

    Read: ‘Nothing is going to stop Donald Trump’

    As Trump’s position in the race has improved, his rhetoric has become more extreme. Speaking to the overwhelmingly white crowd in Waterloo, he spent even more time than usual demonizing nonwhite people. Immigrants, Trump said, are dumped on our borders, pouring into our country, bringing in crime. He said they were coming from other nations’ prisons and mental institutions, that they were “emptying out the insane asylums.” Later, he went after the kids. “You have children going to school, speaking languages that nobody even knows what the language is,” Trump said, adding that “there’s no room for our students in the classrooms”—emphasis on the “our.” He once again promised that, if reelected, he’ll carry out the largest deportation operation in American history.

    Two weeks ago, Trump said he would be a dictator “on day one.” Last night, he praised the “great gentleman” Viktor Orbán of Hungary. “He’s the leader, he’s the boss, he’s everything you want to call him,” Trump said of the autocratic Orbán. He cautioned that our planet is on the brink of World War III, and that he, Donald Trump, is the only one who can prevent it. (He bragged about how he personally made sure our nuclear stockpile was “all tippy-top.”) Trump scoffed at his indictments, particularly the classified-documents case against him: “I have total protection. I’m allowed to do it.” He vowed to “take over our horribly run Washington, D.C.” and give indemnification to any police officer who “gets in trouble” for pursuing a criminal. I’ve watched Trump speak live in several different settings over the past several months. I’ve never seen him more bombastic this year than he seemed last night; he sounded like an unmoored strongman.

    Scott Olson / Getty

    Trump’s pageant of darkness unfolded against a backdrop of Christmas cheer. The former president was flanked by two Christmas trees, each topped with a red MAGA hat. Prop presents in Trump-branded wrapping paper dotted the stage. Red, green, and white lights glowed down from the ceiling. Trump opened with a long monologue from his earlier days: how we’re all saying “Merry Christmas” again. (His campaign volunteers handed out signs plastered with the phrase.) Even the press laminates were decorated with a string of cartoon Christmas lights.

    One of Trump’s warm-up speakers, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, asked the audience, “What do you give the man who has everything as a Christmas present?” This was a slightly confusing setup for a joke about how Christmas is going to come late for Trump this year, when he wins the Iowa caucus in mid-January. People sort of got it.

    Before Trump took the stage, I spotted Santa Claus leaning against a brick wall outside the assembly hall and asked for an interview. He wavered, then reluctantly agreed. The back of his red suit said MAGA CLAUS in gold block letters. Santa, it turns out, is a man in his mid-20s named Alex. He said he lives in Northern Virginia and works for Public Advocate of the United States, a conservative nonprofit group. He told me he plays all sorts of characters, such as Cupid and an evil doctor/mad scientist who forces people to take a COVID vaccine. He told me he had showed up at the Loudoun County school protests dressed as Uncle Sam. Two of his organization’s signs hung outside the venue’s entryway: Make the Family Great Again! and There are only TWO genders: Male & Female. Merry Christmas.

    Read: What is this ‘Christmas’ you speak of?

    Sitting at a nearby table was 81-year-old Susan Holland and her husband, Buzz. Both welcomed me with a nod as I pulled up a chair next to them. Holland, wearing a bedazzled Trump hat and an American-flag sweater with flag earrings, told me she had seen Trump in person about 10 times over the years. “We can hardly wait ’til he’s sworn in again,” she said. I asked her where she gets her news. “We watch Fox News,” she said. “We watch the regular news too.”

    Over the past several months, I’ve asked dozens of Trump supporters if there is anything the former president could do or say that would make them withdraw their support. Mike Benson, a 62-year-old retired carpenter from Waterloo, was posted up a few blocks away from the venue at the Broken Record Bar earlier in the afternoon, wearing a red TRUMP 2024 hat, nursing a Bud. He told me about being out of step with his union buddies, who all staunchly vote Democratic. (He said he cast his first presidential vote for Ronald Reagan and has supported the GOP ever since.) I brought up that Trump had been praising people like Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, and Orbán, and asked if he thought Trump himself would end up a dictator.

    “Not a chance,” Benson said. “People confuse Trump’s praise for them. He’s not praising them; he’s acknowledging that they’re smart people. They’re smart enough to manipulate their population, and Trump is acknowledging that,” he said. “The devil is smart,” he added.

    I asked him if he thinks Trump manipulates our population.

    “No,” he said. “He puts what he believes is true out there, and if you believe that too, all you have to do is follow him. He’s not strong-arming people around. He’s not manipulating facts. He’s not militarizing government departments to go after opponents. He’s not doing any of that.”

    Less than an hour before Trump took the stage last night, the Colorado Supreme Court had ruled that the former president was disqualified from appearing on the state’s ballot under the Fourteenth Amendment because of his actions leading up to the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. His campaign has already said that it will appeal the decision, and the case appears destined to wind up before the Supreme Court.

    In Waterloo, Trump didn’t mention the Colorado ruling. Instead, he focused on Biden, the swamp, and the “deep state.” “We’re going to bring our country back from hell; our country’s gone to hell,” Trump said. By Christmas 2024, he countered, the economy will be roaring back and energy prices will be plummeting. He claimed responsibility for the presently high stock market—arguing that returns are up because people believe he is returning to office.

    John Hendrickson: Could the courts actually take Trump off the ballots?

    “Crooked Joe Biden” is “a low-IQ individual” and “the most incompetent, most corrupt president in the history of our country,” Trump said. “Other than that, I think quite a bit of him.” Later, Trump mocked Biden’s slow speech at a recent news conference.

    Throughout the night, Trump pandered to Iowa voters, attacking electric cars, talking about persecution of Christians, and praising those who “still till that soil.” He fired off some strange ad-libs: “Does everybody in this room love their children? Does anybody in this room not love their children? Raise your hand. Oh, that guy in the blue jacket raised his hand!”

    But his grotesque anti-immigrant rhetoric kept returning—a messier, ganglier version of “Build the Wall.”

    As attendees filtered into the convention center, a 69-year-old man stood outside in the frigid cold and wind holding a handwritten sign. It read: EVERY TIME YOU EAT A PORK CHOP OR RIBEYE STEAK THANK AN IMMIGRANT. The man, Paul, had driven from his home in Manchester, about 50 miles east. He told me he used to work alongside many immigrants at a seed-corn plant. He said he was dismayed by all the slurs he had been hearing about foreigners. “I decided I was gonna come, I was gonna hold the sign,” and offer a message that was “at least halfway positive,” he said. I didn’t see any members of Trump’s flock stopping to consider it.

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    John Hendrickson

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  • Hacks To Keep Your Christmas Tree Fresh

    Hacks To Keep Your Christmas Tree Fresh

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    Christmas trees are a cherished symbol of the holiday season, and the displaying of the real deal instead of a plastic tree is on the rise in North America. According to Statistics Canada, in 2016 over 1,800 farms produced trees for the $77 million dollar market, exporting the evergreens across the world.

    The American Christmas Tree Association reports that in 2018 over 95 million homes displayed a tree, with 17.9% of households displaying a real tree. The industry advocacy group has a few pointers on how to keep your Christmas tree fresh and thriving throughout the holiday season. 

    Water is crucial to keeping a tree green and fresh while displaying it in the home. The NCTA recommends fitting the tree in a traditional stand with a water reservoir that holds at least a quart of water for every inch in tree diameter.

    Other tips include making a fresh, half inch cut perpendicular to the axis before setting it in the stand. A fancy V-cut is unnecessary, can make the tree unstable, and actually reduces the tree’s ability to absorb water. Keeping the outer layer of bark intact will also help the tree absorb and retain more water.

    RELATED: This Is When You Should Take Down Your Holiday Decorations

    Keeping the tree away from heat sources such as fireplaces, heaters, HVAC vents, and direct sunlight is also a good idea, as is using low heat Christmas lights, and monitoring the water level in the stand, ensuring that the water does not go below the base of the tree.

    Other safety tips include never leaving decorative lights turned on when away from home, always inspect light sets before using, do not overload electrical circuits, and promptly remove dry trees from the house.

    RELATED: 10 Best Types Of Marijuana For A Joyous Holiday Season

    Lastly, never dispose of a Christmas tree by burning it in a fireplace. The small, dry needles can ignite and burn uncontrollably fast, and send sparks all over the house, quickly setting everything in the domicile on fire. The high sap content can burn hot and long enough to set chimney deposits aflame, starting a flue blaze that can spread rapidly. It’s also unnecessary, as many communities have recycling programs available to households.

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    Rudy Sanchez

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  • KC-area tree farms say drought, inflation will make Christmas trees more expensive this year

    KC-area tree farms say drought, inflation will make Christmas trees more expensive this year

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    Christmas trees may cost a little more this holiday season.”The kids like to come out and get the real Christmas tree,” said Jill Painter.She said it has become a family tradition.”We started this tradition eight years ago when we first got married,” Painter said.While they’ve got a good idea of what they want, ideas for trees will vary this year.”Although I have a few different opinions now,” she said.While searching for the perfect tree in between a game of hide and seek, they’ll also be checking the price tags.Area tree farms said that because of the drought and inflation, most trees will be about 20% higher this year.For holiday tree buyers like Maggie Hudson’s family, they said they understand it might cost a little more.The farm said it takes eight years to grow a holiday tree. They are hoping by this time next year, their expenses like freight and kerosene will be down.”We’ll keep our fingers crossed. The freight was just incredible this year,” said Lyn Walther, of Strawberry Hill Christmas Tree Farm.The family at Strawberry Hill has been selling trees for four decades and said they usually sell out by the second week of December. “The response of people that have come this year, they’re happy and we are, too,” Walther said.

    LAWRENCE, Kan. —

    Christmas trees may cost a little more this holiday season.

    “The kids like to come out and get the real Christmas tree,” said Jill Painter.

    She said it has become a family tradition.

    “We started this tradition eight years ago when we first got married,” Painter said.

    While they’ve got a good idea of what they want, ideas for trees will vary this year.

    “Although I have a few different opinions now,” she said.

    While searching for the perfect tree in between a game of hide and seek, they’ll also be checking the price tags.

    Area tree farms said that because of the drought and inflation, most trees will be about 20% higher this year.

    For holiday tree buyers like Maggie Hudson’s family, they said they understand it might cost a little more.

    The farm said it takes eight years to grow a holiday tree. They are hoping by this time next year, their expenses like freight and kerosene will be down.

    “We’ll keep our fingers crossed. The freight was just incredible this year,” said Lyn Walther, of Strawberry Hill Christmas Tree Farm.

    The family at Strawberry Hill has been selling trees for four decades and said they usually sell out by the second week of December.

    “The response of people that have come this year, they’re happy and we are, too,” Walther said.

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  • Westbury’s Beloved Nursery is a Magical Christmas Destination

    Westbury’s Beloved Nursery is a Magical Christmas Destination

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    Free Pictures with Santa, Live Brass Band and Animated Christmas Story Walk-through

    Press Release
    –

    Nov 2, 2022 09:00 EDT


    WESTBURY, N.Y., November 2, 2022 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Hicks Nurseries, Long Island’s largest and premier garden center, transforms into a magical destination for Christmas. A trip to the beloved nursery has been a holiday family tradition for decades, and their free events include pictures with Santa, a live brass band, letters to/from Santa and an animated Christmas story walk-through.

    The beautifully decorated store provides inspiration as well as many picture-perfect moments.

    • The Christmas gallery features an exquisite display of fully decorated lifelike Christmas trees and holiday décor that highlight the latest trends as well as traditional favorites. 
    • There are more than 90 pre-lit lifelike trees on display in the artificial tree yard exclusively made for Hicks Nurseries. 
    • A vast selection of farm-fresh live Christmas trees come in the end of November in sizes up to 14 feet and can be pre-ordered now to avoid the rush.
    • The greenhouse is stocked with the finest indoor plants, including seasonal poinsettias, amaryllis and Christmas cactus. 

    “We are a one-stop-shop for everything you need for Christmas,” said Felix Cutrone, store manager at Hicks Nurseries. “Our selection is unmatched and the experience we create around the shopping aspect is treasured by generations of customers.”

    The experience includes the following free events:

    Animated Christmas Story: The all-new children’s story, “A Stroll with Santa,” is open daily Nov. 14 through Dec. 31. The walk-through features six animatronic scenes and read-along story cards. Hicks Nurseries collects donations at the end of the walk-through of non-perishable food items for Long Island Cares. 

    Meet & Take Pictures with Santa: Santa will be at Hicks daily, Monday-Friday 1-4 pm and 5-8 pm; Saturday and Sunday 10 am-1 pm and 2-6 pm, Nov. 25 through Dec. 23. 

    Live Brass Band:  A popular brass band helps customers get into the holiday spirit with lively music weekends Nov. 26 through Dec. 18, 12-3 pm. 

    Mail a Letter to Santa: Drop a letter in the North Pole mailbox and get a response from Santa himself. Mailbox is open Nov. 14 through Dec. 19. 

    For more information visit Hicks Nurseries Christmas Events

    ABOUT HICKS NURSERIES

    Hicks Nurseries is Long Island’s largest and premier garden center, family-owned and -operated since 1853. Dedicated to helping its customers achieve success in their homes and gardens, Hicks Nurseries provides expert and friendly advice along with an exceptional selection of quality products including indoor and outdoor plants, outdoor furniture, planters, lawn care, seasonal décor including artificial Christmas trees and more. They also offer complete award-winning landscape design/build services. Hicks Nurseries is located at 100 Jericho Turnpike in Westbury, NY. Follow on social media @hicksnurseries and learn more at https://hicksnurseries.com/ 

    Source: Hicks Nurseries

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