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Real Christmas trees a hot commodity
Scouts sold out in early December after ordering 50 more firs than last yearKatherine Hudson Northern News Services Published Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Even with 299 balsam firs and Fraser firs, 50 more than last year, the Yellowknife Scouts sold out on Dec. 10. "There is an absolute demand," said Levesque, Christmas tree co-ordinator for the Scouts. "You see them come in and they have smiles on their faces. They smell the trees. They pick the trees up. They brush the snow off." The Scouts order the seasonal trees from a farm in Prince Albert, Sask., and the tree sales are the biggest fundraiser for the group – with profits going toward programs and camps. He said the larger order this year was mainly due to the "absolute panic" that ensued when the Merv Hardie ferry was out of commission for nine days last November. "We had a lot of disappointed people," said Levesque. "We ordered 50 more than we did last year and we still sold out, so it's fantastic." The group donates a few trees to volunteers, as well as the Centre for Northern Families and Northern United Place, where a 12-foot Fraser fir stands tall. Trees start from five feet and range to a towering 14 feet. A six- or seven-foot balsam goes for $85 while a 14-foot balsam has a price tag of $250, Levesque said. He said aside from the fact that real Christmas trees provide oxygen even after they're cut, and employment and mulch once the season draws to a close, it's the real Christmas smell that keeps customers coming back over the past 20 years. "You smell it, it's Christmas. With the balsam firs, there's that absolute evergreen smell that everybody loves. The Fraser firs are nice-looking trees, with a blue-green tinge to them." He said the Scouts will have a committee meeting to decide if even more real trees will be ordered for 2012. The other seller of real Christmas trees in town is Arctic Farmer Nursery, which offers the same two types of trees and receives them from Saskatchewan as well. One of the owners, Carine Pattin, said Monday there are still trees left of the 175 the company ordered this year. "We've been doing this for six years and we don't do this to make money. We do this because it goes with landscaping and because most people are looking for live Christmas trees. There is a demand," she said. If Yellowknifers want to undertake a more "do it yourself" quest for the perfect tree, their best bet is to look outside the city limits. "In the city, Christmas trees have owners," said Mayor Gord Van Tighem. "Trees cannot be removed without the permission of the owner. If it's in a city park, you would need to have the permission of the city, which you won't get." Rachel MacNeill, communications planning specialist with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, said the only restrictions for cutting down Christmas trees outside the city are that a maximum of two trees can be cut down and they can't exceed five metres in height. "So if people want to go outside of city limits, they are more than welcome to chop down two trees," said MacNeill.
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