On a nice, rolling patch of ground in rural Nesbit, Miss., the Doles family sells tradition and Christmas year round.
Norma and Mullins Doles operate Merry Christmas Tree Farm, which opened in 1990 on 40 acres. They sell between 1,000 and 1,500 trees every year.
Their customers, many from the sprawling city of Memphis and its suburbs, make a trip to the farm part of their holiday traditions. Norma says they even have second-generation customers.
The farm gives every visitor a hayride across a covered bridge to fields of trees. Pick what you like, and they'll cut it, haul it, shake it, wrap it and send you home with a smile.
The most popular tree the Doles family grows is the Leyland Cypress. In some people's minds, it's the perfect Christmas tree. It doesn't drop needles and won't aggravate your allergies. And Norma says it can last up to three months once cut.
Cutting a live tree is the best way to ensure it will last throughout the holidays. But once cut, it has to be watered to survive.
"I say water every morning and every night," Norma stresses. "If you do that the tree will be fresh and safe for a long time."
And when Norma says "water," she means just water. Don't add powders, sugary soft drinks or anything else. The sugars just clog the tree, eventually making it impossible for it to take up more water.
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Whether you're choosing a live tree from a farm like the Doleses' or buying a precut tree, here are some clues to help you pick the freshest tree and the one that will suit your home best:
Make sure needles are green, fresh and flexible. Gently pull a branch through your hand to see if needles fall off the tree. The outer needles should stay put.
Ask the retailer when a tree was harvested if it is precut. Some trees sold on temporary lots are cut in October. Some smaller family farms wait and cut before Thanksgiving.
Consider tagging your tree early if you're cutting your own tree. That way you can be sure you get the size and type of tree you want. Most tree farms allow customers to come on the lot a month or two before the holidays to choose a tree, tag it with their name, then come back and cut it closer to Christmas.
Don't buy more tree than you have room for in your house. Trees on a lot always look smaller than they will inside your home. Most homes can accommodate a 7-foot tree easily. But be sure to allow for the tree's circumference. Some trees are slender and tall, and others are so big around they seem to take up an entire room.
Have the seller drill a hole up into the trunk or cut off about an inch across the base, depending on the type of tree stand you have. The tree needs to be in water as soon as possible after the cross-cut, or the trunk will seal up again. If it has been more than an hour, be safe and cut the trunk across again.
Take your tree down and make another cut if it dries out while in the tree stand. This is the only sure way to get it to begin taking water again.