Trees and Traditions: From Bree
Mom, Larkin and I, Christmas 1988 with one of our better trees
I grew up just across the valley from our farm, on a ridge in the Timber Coulee watershed. Each December my family would head into the woods around our house to bring home a “wild” Christmas tree.
These trees were quite the Charlie Browns, many of them descended from the large spruce planted by the CCC in the 1930’s. There weren’t a whole lot of evergreens to pick from, but when we found one that would fit the bill we all gathered around it and before cutting we took a moment to thank the tree. We each placed a hand on the trunk, and following my dad’s lead would each share some words of gratitude and respect. We cut the trees high, sometimes four or five feet from the ground, making sure there were healthy branches below the cut so the tree had a chance to regrow. And they did! Some years we would find a good looking tree just to discover there was the scar from a previous year’s holiday, and a new primary trunk grown from the spot.
A few miles to the North, Eric was planting spruce and pines with his father and grandparents. In the early 1990’s they planted hundreds of trees, three generations shoulder to shoulder in the dirt. Later this week Eric and I will take Sylvan out to these trees and select one to bring home for his first Christmas, planted by his father, grandfather and great grandfather. We will take a moment to thank the tree, and we will cut it high so it can regrow.
Trees have been a tie connecting our family through generations. We have all, in our own ways, found solace, renewal and purpose when surrounded by these giants who were tall before our birth and will continue to stand when we are gone. Our Christmas Tree tradition is a time to connect with each other and with our place in the grand scheme of things. The wonder and gratitude we find in the forest is part of what lead us to be maple farmers, and what we hope to share with you through our syrup.
May your wintertime traditions, whatever they may be, fill you with warmth, connection and renewal!
