Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

July 17, 2008 issue

29th Annual Mountain Greenery Field Day July 31


Story by Celeste von ManganThe annual Mountain Greenery Field Day features educational seminars that benefit both the members of the Watauga Christmas Association and the general public. Photo Courtesy of the Watauga County Extension Center

The Watauga County Cooperative Extension Service and the Watauga County Christmas Tree Association are hosting the 29th annual Mountain Greenery Field Day on Thursday, July 31. The event begins at 1:30 p.m. with a meet and greet at Clawson’s Choose and Cut Farm, followed by a business meeting of Christmas tree growers at 2:00 p.m. The remainder of the afternoon will be devoted to educational seminars on a variety of topics, including biodiesel fuel for use on the farm and a pesticide update. At 5:30 p.m., attendees are invited to enjoy a meal catered by Bandana’s Restaurant.

“The Mountain Greenery Field Day has been going on since the Watauga County Christmas Tree Association was founded,” said Meghan Baker, agricultural Extension agent. “The field day provides people with the chance to catch up on information concerning the industry, but more than that—it provides current news about the nursery and Christmas tree industry. It’s changing; when tree farmers started, they were mostly growing boxwood and now they are mostly growing Christmas trees.”

The public is invited to attend the field day and can join members of the Watauga County Christmas Tree Association for the meeting, educational seminars and barbecue.

“After people visit with one another initially, we start the field day off with the business meeting,” said Baker. “Accomplishments from the last year are discussed as well as projects to work on now and projects for the future. Two main groups of tree farmers attend: choose and cut and those in the wholesale market. The bulk of the educational seminars begin at 3:00 p.m., and a representative from the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association will discuss a proposed check-off project that could affect the entire national Christmas tree industry. A specialist from ASU will also speak about ways to use biodiesel on the farm; to my knowledge, farmers are not using it right now, but with some of them interested in the wind anemometer they are definitely leaning towards other energy sources, especially for fuel with prices the way they are these days.

“Then the last two topics deal with high pressure spraying with pesticides and general information about pests and pesticides. A demonstration will be given on what products are being used this year. One product being used and meant to replace some of the more toxic products available is citrus oil and borax, and the use of it is currently still under evaluation.”

Farmers can receive one hour of pesticide credit for attending the talk on pesticide use. “All of the farmers are required to have a pesticide license if they are spraying,” said Baker.

Admission to the field day is free except for a small donation toward the barbecue meal by nonmembers of the Christmas tree association. The afternoon seminars are free to everyone who attends. For more information or to register, call 828-264-3061.

“We need people to sign up so we know how many people we are feeding,” said Baker.

Want To Go?
Date: Thursday, July 31
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Location: Clawson’s Choose and Cut Farm
Cost: Free