What's in a Pine?
Over the last few years, our Christmas tree has been on occasion artificial and on occasion real. However, most of the real trees came from tree lots or off of our land. This year, though, we decided to take the kids and make an event of it.
We headed to Starr Pines Tree Farm in Boonville. We were looking for a pine this year. Now, I have to admit that upon entering the farm, I thought the trees looked small. We took a hayride out to the fields. There were trees of all shapes and sizes, even a “Charlie Brown” tree or two. We chose a rather fat, nicely shaped tree and cut it down. It was taller up close, but still I thought, hmmm, might not be tall enough.
Back at the barn, little ones scurried through the shop and sipped hot apple cider while they waited for the hayride tractor. When we returned from the field, we watched as the workers “shook” our tree to get the dead needles out of it and “wrapped” it so that we could get it home in one piece.
So, after getting the tree into our living room and into the tree stand, we clipped the wrapping. It was like watching a butterfly come out of its cocoon. The branches spread and the tree filled the space—and then some. How beautiful it was. It was taller than I thought.
There are thirty-five tree farms in the Missouri Christmas Tree Association. You might find one near you to have a holiday experience this year.
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Vast and varied, Missouri is home to people, places, events, and topics that make the state surprising and unique. As a native Missourian with roots that run five generations deep in the Ozarks, Rebecca French Smith is passionate about Missouri. She is always looking for interesting places, people, and events to share with Missouri Life readers.
