Guest columnist Dennis Brown is sitting in for Craig Miller this week.
Over 14 years ago, I began dating my beautiful wife of ten years, Julie. I knew I was being accepted into the family when I was invited to be part of a trusted family Christmas tradition from her childhood. An annual tradition that started well before Christmas in the hot summer days of July and August. But, I will get back to that in a moment.
When Julie was eight years old, she and her brother, James, came home to their front yard and a lower field at their house in Franklin, N.C., all plowed up. They soon learned their dad had a vision that would not only create a tradition for their family but for thousands of others. Her dad’s vision had little to do with creating traditions, but had everything to do with creating opportunities for his children – opportunities to learn patience, responsibility, basic business skills, and eventually fully funded college educations.
Christmas on a Christmas tree farm starts in the hot summer days of July and August with long sleeve shirts, long pants, a ladder, and a pair of pruning shears. Cutting tops out of Fraser Firs is important to maintain a quality tree shape and the perfect place, of course, for your star or angel. It’s not a job a machine can perform, and it’s not a job you want to be in shorts or short sleeves doing. Wasps and yellow jackets typically nest in and around the trees, and it can take awhile to scrub tree sap off your arms or legs. Christmas trees are not just a plant it and forget it kind of farming. There’s pest control, mowing around trees to prevent disease or invasive weeds, and the patience part; it takes approximately eight years to grow a tree to maturity.
J&J Tree Farm has been a family tradition surviving three generations. However, this Thanksgiving will certainly seem less traditional, not only for my family, but for hundreds of others. Although a whole year goes by between seeing our customers, it’s like reuniting with old friends, some of which have been around for over a quarter century and travel from as far away as Miami, Fla.
Through my years of bailing and tying up trees on car tops owned by familiar faces, I’ve seen the family tradition grow. New recruits to the in-laws’ tradition of picking and cutting a tree. The sounds of excited children running and laughing through the trees. And, my favorite, the picture request of the newest additions bundled up in their winter parkas with proud mommy, daddy, and grandparents posing amidst the trees. It’s a tradition, in-spite of the sore back and rosin stained hands when returning to my “day job” each Monday in November and December, that I will surely miss.
There aren’t many “choose and cut” tree farms left, and starting this year, there will be one less. So this Christmas when you put up your tree, my hope is you’re not only carrying on a family tradition, but possibly contributing in some way to other’s traditions.
Blessings this holiday season.
Craig Miller is the Founder & Director of B2B Networking Chattanooga, for more information go to: www.b2bnetworkingchattanooga.com or contact him at info@b2bnetworkingchattanooga.com v