NEWS
Demand for live Christmas trees continues to rise
Demand for Texas-grown Christmas trees continues to rise as acreage and entrepreneurial interest in farms expands, according to a Texas A&M Forest Service expert.
Texas Christmas tree farms continue to see high demand for choose-and-cut trees. (Laura McKenzie/Texas A&M AgriLife)
Fred Raley, Ph.D., Texas A&M Forest Service director of the Western Gulf Tree Improvement Program, said Texas Christmas tree producers fared well this year after back-to-back seasons of drought for much of the state. He said consumers should expect higher prices for choose-and-cut and shipped cut trees this holiday season.
“Demand is up, whether the previous seasons impacted supplies or supplies held steady, so there is a potential for price increases and limited selection,” he said. “The increased cost of shipping in fresh-cut trees from other states will also factor into prices.”
Growers, farms diversify around Christmas trees
Raley said the impact of drought depended on localized rainfall and growers’ access to irrigation. Some farms are supplementing their native tree stocks with more shipped trees this year.
“If you want a live tree, my advice would be to get one early for the best selection,” he said.
Raley said sales typically kick off the weekend following Thanksgiving. Farms have been busy ordering trees and preparing their farms for sales season. In North Carolina, tree damage and impassable roads were concerns regarding Christmas tree supplies following the flood damage from Hurricane Helene. However, there was limited damage following the storm to farms and roads have been restored.
Texas producers continue to expand their acreage where they can, Raley said. Many choose-and-cut farms are also diversifying their operation with “experiential services” built around Christmas trees like hayrides, do-it-yourself decoration/wreath making and games.
“They’re trying to build a complete seasonal experience,” he said. “We’re seeing some older generational farms closing, but we’re also hearing from younger entrepreneurs who want to do something in the green industry, and they are looking to start with Christmas trees.”
Demand for replacement seedlings continues to rise
Stan Reed, executive secretary of the Texas Christmas Tree Growers Association, said the organization is seeing similar expansion and diversification trends in the industry across Texas. He estimates there are 85-95 tree farms in Texas that range from small “mom and pop” growers-sellers to 60-70-acre operations.
“Texas doesn’t have any growers who serve the wholesale market, but there are two operations that are poised to enter that market, which will serve local-cut live-tree stands,” he said.
Reed said new information and methods are helping growers increase production and limit setbacks like lost seedlings. There are four primary tree varieties that perform well in Texas growing conditions – Virginia and Afghan pines, and Leyland and Carolina sapphire cypresses.
Christmas trees in Texas are typically grown in four-year rotations, he said. The association sells seedling Virginia pine trees started from seed banks created by the Texas A&M Forest Service at a discount to growers.
Reed said growers have purchased around 130,000 seedlings so far for their upcoming replants.
Growers have been encouraged to buy more trees than they will plant to replace the season’s harvest. Those excess trees are kept as potted trees and are available to replace seedlings that do not establish and survive. Over the years, Reed said some growers have begun taking advantage of keeping trees potted longer to expedite their growth and shorten their harvest time to three years.
Raley said the seedling program started in the early 2000s, and research trials around the state have identified trees and varietal germplasm that are resilient and perform best. Seed from selected high performers grafted in seed orchards are used to create the seedlings supplied through the association.
“That program is about continuous improvement, and our goal is to meet or exceed the demand of growers each season,” Raley said. “That’s become a challenge because those numbers keep going up every year, but we want to continue to see that trend.”
Montague County Commissioners will name members to the county historical commission for new terms when they meet at 9 a.m. on Dec. 9.
The court will begin to wind down 2024 with its first meeting of the final month of the year.
Members of the historical commission serve two-year terms and will continue efforts to preserve and support county history.
Two new speed limit signs and two stop signs are being considered on three separate county roads. Commissioners will consider adopting a 30 mph speed limit with signs enforced on Rosston Road and a 35 mph speed limit on Pleasant Hill Road both in precinct one. A new stop also may be added on Roth Road at the Denver Road intersection and on Huddleston Road at the Denver Road intersection both also in precinct one.
Other items on the agenda including paying Texas New Mexico Power $10,113.63 from American Rescue Funds to run a new power line to the new wastewater treatment plant, acceptance of the sheriff’s office 2024 Chapter 59 asset forfeiture report and accept the Nortex Regional Planning Commission proxy/alternate designation for 2024-25.
The Bowie City Council will meet at 6 p.m. on Dec. 9 considering numerous items of new business including two proposals for a water rate increase.
City Manager Bert Cunningham will offer the two rate plans developed from a recently completed water rate study he gave the council at the last meeting. He explained these increases will help replenish the infrastructure fund which is used to make repairs across the city, as well as help pay for the new raw water pump the state is requiring the city add.
One ordinance offers a 16% rate increase this year and the following year. For 2025 the proposed ordinance would increase the base rate per month by $3.19 for residential inside the city limits with a usage charge increase of .76 cents per 1,000 gallons.
For residential outside the city limits the rate would increase $3.67 and the usage rate by .87 cents per 1,000 gallons.
For commercial and industrial inside the city limits the base rate would go up $3.65 and the usage by .76 cents per 1,000 gallons. Outside city limits the base rate would increase by $4.09 and the usage by .87 cents per 1,000.
The second proposal would be a flat $7.50 charge and a 7% rate increases this year and 7% next year. The $7.50 flat fee would be programmed to expire in 2030.
Residential in the city limits would increase by $1.40 the first year and outside the city limits it
would rise by $3.67. For commercial and industrial inside the city limits the rate will increase by $1.60 the first year and for outside the city limits it will rise $2.05. Each customer would have the $7.50 flat fee.
A change order for the Nelson Street bridge replacement project will be discussed along with the final pay request for the project.
Councilors will consider hangar lease terms for privately built hangars at the City of Bowie Municipal Airport.
There also could be a change for council meeting dates as the panel ponders a move from first and third Mondays to second and fourth Tuesdays for the regular meetings.
Councilors also will make four reappointments to the library board.
In the city manager’s report Cunningham will give updates on Nelson Street project final details, sewer line project phase two, status of substation transformer project, Wichita Street water line final report and Community Development Block Grant.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
It was almost one year ago when the Montague County Commissioner’s Court approved the construction of a county-wide animal shelter, just the first step in a process that can hopefully address a long-time and growing stray dog problem across the county.
On Jan. 17 the court voted yes to build an animal control facility on the old county farm property outside Montague. The sheriff’s office consistently deals with animal calls, and the growth of subdivisions is only expected to fuel the animal problems across the county as more people move into the area.
County Judge Kevin Benton said everyone knows there has been a need for a county shelter for years, but it was a matter of costs and finding a way it could efficiently fit into county operations.
“I had some previous discussion with Sheriff Marshall Thomas about stray dogs because his office receives so many calls about them, but they really don’t have the capacity to deal with them. We worked with the Nocona and Saint Jo volunteer shelters purchasing kennels where officers can place animals during off hours, but all the shelters stay full. Animal control is expensive and there is no money in the budget,” said Benton.
Read the full story on the county animal shelter in the weekend Bowie News.
Top photo – New kennels have been built at the shelter and metal gates will soon be added. (photo by Barbara Green)
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