More than a season

BLUE SPRINGS -- For more than 40 years, Pinecrest Tree Farm in Blue Springs has been an integral part of southeast Nebraska’s Christmas spirit.

The acres upon acres of pine, spruce and fir trees draw hundreds of families each year to find the perfect tree, something that owners Gary and Cherri Trump feel helps strengthen relationships between family members.

“The families that come here are so happy,” said Cherri Trump, “they spend time together as a family talking while they are looking for the right tree.

“It’s not like being at a mall where you are pushed along the whole time and interrupted, here you can take your time and find what’s right.”

Gary Trump, who handles the majority of the cutting, shaking and bailing duties along with a few hired hands, said the farm has around 2,700 trees, more than the population of Wymore and Blue Springs together. Around 1,000 of those trees are sold to families and businesses every year.

Pinecrest even supplies Campell’s Nursery in Lincoln with a variety of Christmas trees every fall, and has participated in the Trees for Troops volunteer effort.

Trees for Troops provides the families of soldiers overseas the opportunity to enjoy a real Christmas tree free of charge. Gary Trump said Pinecrest donates 10 trees each year. The trees are collected in Lincoln and shipped by FedEx for free.

The donation helps add to the Christmas spirit every year, according to Cherri.

The back section of the Pinecrest shop is a flurry of activity. Cherri Trump, along with four others, diligently work on wrapping, dipping and decorating wreaths and swags to be shipped all over the country.

“We have a good time working,” said employee Sally Beekman. The crew spends their time in the back of Pinecrest’s shop chatting or listening to music — Christmas music, naturally — as they wrap wreaths, dip pine cones or needles in wax or put the finishing touches on a swag.

“The years and years of doing the same things over and over,” according Robyn Jones, is how the business has grown. Jones’ biggest project this year was creating a 5-foot wide wreath, the largest in the shop. It is so large and heavy it takes several of the ladies working together to carry it.

Pinecrest creates greenery made to order for people all across the state and country. If their patrons can dream it up, Cherri said the group can make it.

“People call and say what size of wreath they want and what they want on it and we do it,” said Trump.

This year, Pinecrest has even created a wreath for an order filed from Florida.

Gloria Henderson, who happily puts the finishing touches on a swag, said the group began working on the holiday’s decorations on the first of November, and will continue until Christmas.

Recently, Pinecrest has been creating and maintaining 700 fresh wreaths and 500 swags for fundraisers for local churches and schools. Each wreath and swag, decorated with a red bow and pine cones, has been a successful fundraising activity for the local churches and schools.

In addition to selling Christmas trees and creating thousands of pieces of Christmas crafts, Cherri also takes time to talk to school classes about how to find and take care of trees.

“I educate grade school kids about getting real Christmas trees,” said Trump, “and I tell them to educate mom and dad about buying a fresh tree and how to take care of it.”

“A lot of people don’t know there is a tree farm in Nebraska that is making greenery,” Cherri said, “so we want to let them know what all we have available.

Cherri isn’t certain how the economy will affect the farm this year, but says so far, “sales are up in the shop.”

The reason for that, she speculates, is the importance of family traditions.

“Scientists have done studies that families with traditions have stronger relationships,” she said, “that’s what keeps people coming back.”

Finding the right tree<br>

By Chris Dunker/Daily Sun staff writer<br>

BLUE SPRINGS -- With the holiday season fast approaching, many families will soon set up and decorate a Christmas tree.

Pinecrest Tree Farm in Blue Springs has been a staple for finding Christmas trees in Gage County for the past 40 years.

Among the trees in stock at Pinecrest are pines, firs and spruce. All are available for tagging and cutting this year.

According to Cherri Trump, co-owner of Pinecrest along with her husband Gary, the farm is open for business from 9 a.m. until dark every day until Dec. 21.

Trump said the busiest weekend for selecting and cutting trees is the two weekends after Thanksgiving, but they start letting their customers select trees as early as September.

“We have pre-tagging that starts in September,” said Trump, “We file the tags away and go out cut the tree down when you choose.”

According to Trump, finding a good Christmas tree revolves around the health of the tree. Trees that are healthy will exhibit certain characteristics that will make their use as Christmas trees more enjoyable.

“The best tree has a good color and you will be able to bend the branches without them breaking because they have plenty of moisture,” said Trump.

Also, trees that are “full,” or have enough branches and needles to hide interior branches, are usually desirable.

Trump said that customers should be weary of some natural trees.

“Whenever you get a fresh tree, ask where it came from. If you buy a tree from a supermarket or a store, it may have been cut up to a month prior and will not last as long as a tree that has been freshly cut.”

Trump said consumers will be able to tell if a tree that has been cut recently by examining the needles and branches of the tree. If the needles fall off easily and the branches are brittle, the tree was not recently cut.

Freshly cut trees will also remain healthier throughout the duration of the Christmas season, she said.

After getting a tree, Trump recommends putting a fresh cut on the trunk to make sure the tree will soak up water.

“Once the tree has been cut the openings that would normally soak up water scab over. Putting a fresh cut on the tree will open up the tree to soaking up water,” said Trump.

A tree may take in more than a gallon of water for a few nights after it has first been cut according to Trump, but once the tree is “completely saturated, it won’t drink near that amount.”

Following a schedule of watering your tree will allow you to monitor how much water the tree needs.

Trump said that the national focus on “going green,” has been mistaken when it comes to Christmas trees.

Artificial trees, according to Trump, are oil-based and can take up to 100 years to break down when thrown away.

Real trees, on the other hand, can be recycled into soil or dumped into ponds to create habitat for fish.

“There is nothing wrong with getting a fresh tree every year and giving it back to planet Earth,” Trump said.

According to the Beatrice Public Properties Department, Christmas trees can be dropped off at the Department of Public Properties after Christmas (Dec. 25) until Jan. 23, free of charge. The Parks Department is located at 204 N Fourth street.

The Public Properties Department asks that all decorations are removed from the trees before being dropped off. The trees will be ground into mulch to be used in city parks.