You never know when, or if, you’ll be getting any good news when you’re budgeting for Christmas. But even we were a bit (and pleasantly) surprised to hear about the status of this year’s crop of Christmas trees. Simply put, we were told that, at least in the Treasure Valley, if anyone is saying that the cost of a Christmas tree has measurably increased when compared to a year ago … well, we were told that just isn’t so.
“We’re not super stressed. The supply has leveled out a bit, and we don’t have quite the scarcity that we did before. This is the first year in ten years when we didn’t see a price increase,” said North End Organic Nursery owner Lindsay Schramm Boughey. “We reached a bit of equilibrium right now and that’s been really, really nice.”
Schramm Boughey said, for her, it’s all about a long-term relationship with her grower.
“So, honestly, he’s always super excited to hear us when we talk with you on the radio,” she said. “I was blessed to find this guy a half-dozen years ago when everything was so crazy, and you couldn’t find a tree to save your life. And he was happy to give us a hand for that year. And we’ve had this ongoing relationship … and he does a really great job growing great trees in a sustainable way.”
“Sustainable” is in the DNA of the Schramm Boughey’s nursery. Which is why she particularly loves to talk about Christmas trees as a crop, much like “broccoli,” she says. “Very tall broccoli.”
“There are 300,000,000 to 500,000,000 trees being grown actively as we speak every year across the United States, and about 10% of those trees are harvested for Christmas tree use, and then they’re replanted,” she said. “So, we have something that is sequestering carbon day-in and day-out, is providing habitat to wildlife, providing local jobs, and not utilizing a whole bunch of fuel and transport and being unsustainable.”
Schamm Boughey visited with Morning Edition host George Prentice to talk about what makes this year’s crop so unique, some much-needed tips for shopping and caring for the trees, and environmental risk of artificial trees, though she’s quick to add, “I’m not into Christmas tree shaming … but there are a lot of differences.”
Find reporter George Prentice @georgepren
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