Brandon Twp.- Frank Genovese calls artificial trees ‘the plague? of the real Christmas tree industry.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture website, in 2000, the share of real Christmas trees was 39 percent, while artificial trees reached 61 percent of the market.
However, Cathy Genovese, who co-owns Candy Cane Christmas Tree Farm with husband Frank, says that real Christmas tree sales are increasing, with the live Christmas tree market rising 15 percent nationally in 2004.
‘Last year saw a serious reversal of trends,? she says. ‘Young families want to create a tradition. People get busy, but I think people want to make time for the tradition again.?
This season, which began the day after Thanksgiving for the Genoveses, has been busy at the 30-acre farm located at 4780 Seymour Lake Road. The couple typically has about 1,000 people per weekend come through. Although the farm has a wide variety of 25,000 trees, the number sold in any particular year depends on the number available. Trees are typically sold between 5-7 feet.
Genovese says real Christmas trees are not a fire hazard as long as they are cut at a reasonable time (November and December) and kept in water. He asserts that artificial trees (made of petroleum products) pollute the environment and take 6,000 years to decompose.
The Goodrich Lions Club, 9196 M-15 also continues the real tree tradition started in locally in 1977 when the club used to cut their own trees to sell.
Bill Tappen, a Goodrich Lions Club member for about 35 years says the first few years of the project they cut their own trees near Luther, Mich. located in Lake County.
‘It was a lot of work but fun too,? said Tappen. ‘We’d haul the trees home on trailers then sell them. Customers come back each year.
‘We have about 75 percent return Christmas tree business,? said Bill Tappen, people seem to like the more costly trees, including the fraser furs and blue spruce.?
Tappen said the Lions Club tree prices range from $25 to $45 per tree and are open M-F 2-7 p.m., Sat. 10-7 p.m. and Sun. noon-7 p.m.
The business costs a lot to run. The Genoveses use drip irrigation for their trees and the utility bills are high. Other costs include ‘tons? of equipment for field work and the purchase of 4-year-old transplant trees. It is profitable to a certain point, Cathy Genovese says, but their enjoyment comes from watching families celebrate the tradition of cutting a fresh tree to help them celebrate the Christmas season.
‘It’s a tradition we do for families and part of the festivities for celebrating Jesus? birthday,? she said.