It’s never too early to talk Christmas Trees
The village of Buchlyvie in Scotland experienced a taste of the festive season this week, with 70 Christmas tree growers from the UK and Europe uniting for a special event.
Christmas Tree Growers open Day in Scotland
Members of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association and the European Association of Christmas Tree Growers, met at the award-winning farm of Euan Duff in Stirlingshire for a Growers Open Day.
Attendees included growers from Ireland and from Holland, keen to learn best practice and growing techniques from some of Britain’s established and award-winning Christmas tree producers.
The event – which coincided with the organisation’s AGM – placed particular emphasis on the success in Scotland of growers working closely with schools to engage and educate children in the lifecycle of Christmas trees.
Harry Brightwell, secretary of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association, said: “As an association we see real opportunity and benefit in schools getting to have visits to Christmas Trees Farms and to learn about growing, generally understanding more about nature as a whole and having fun outside.
“BCTGA and Countryside Learning Scotland, have produced and trialed a Finest Festive Fir programme that has worked really well with hundreds of school children already attending a Christmas Tree Farm, so it was great for our members to be able to share positive experiences as part of the event and discuss further potential for working with educational organisations.”
The Duff family has been growing trees at its Stirlingshire farm for 25 years and has around 400,000 trees on 200 acres of plantation. Led by Euan Duff, the business sells wholesale, as well as having a retail site, and ready-cut and choose-and-cut options.
“It was a great event and we were pleased to host it,” commented Mr Duff. “Our Wholesale order book is already filling up for the Christmas 2015 period.”
For Christmas tree growers, most income is generated in a four-week period, but it typically takes eight to twelve years of pruning and nurturing for a tree to reach the popular height of 6-7 feet.
You can find out more about BCTGA members in your area by visiting www.BCTGA.co.uk, and entering your postcode. The website also has details on becoming a member. The association would also be pleased to hear from any education group or school keen to create opportunities around farm visits.
