The Star of the Festive Season
Photo by Janis Jean
Few things are more emblematic of the holiday season than a tree decked out in lights. We gather around them, place presents beneath them, sing carols in front of them. We create an event out of decorating them. And this extends to the choosing of the tree—an event all of its own, a family tradition, a moment where we come together intent on choosing the right one.
Our Island plays host to many Christmas tree farms to do your tree choosing—each with their own story to tell, some with almost 100 years behind them, and many with an extra something special on-site to add to the festive atmosphere.
That’s certainly the case at Gogo’s in Nanaimo, a farm that has existed since 1897 and started growing Christmas trees in 1929. With 93 years of growing experience, they certainly feel they have a handle on it. For them, “it’s a business, but really—it’s all about Christmas.” A sentiment that is all the more evident when you discover they donate trees to those lacking funds (“it’s really important no one goes without…that there’s no kids without a Christmas tree”) and partner with local community initiatives and churches to raise funds through a wholesale program. So it’s not surprising families have been coming here for three generations.
And what about finding your perfect tree? “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” says Mike Gogo. They have pines, spruce and douglas fir, and you can rely on the longevity of each tree due to their years of experience and how they care for them. Greeted with Swiss chocolates and a saw, you get to cut down the one that suits you. But what’s most important, says Gogo, “is that just before you stand it in water, cut off one inch from the base. If you don’t, it won’t pull water; if you do, it’ll be green and supple for a month in the house.”
Mike Day of Doveside Farms shares some of Gogo’s sentiments. “It’s personal preference—everyone, even us, has varying expectations of what a tree would look like. We initially expected them to look all the same, but have come to learn people actually prefer different ones. There’s European families who want a sparse tree—space between the limbs—as they’ll still put candles on. Then there’s those who love the classic dense, triangular-looking tree.” Most of all, though, at Doveside you’ll find natural-looking trees. “They’re less angular, with a softer look to it. We prune them by hand, a branch at a time,” says Day. “Trees are part of nature and will grow how they want to; ultimately, we just try and help them stay relatively straight.”
When it comes to care, the festive picture of a tree beside a roaring log fire is an absolute no-go for the Doveside team. “Placement in the house is critical to longevity—stay away from fire and forced air vents, and know trees want a lot of water. We advise not cutting before the first week of December. They’re much fresher than buying from a store, and we’ve seen some even retain their needles into January.”
The discovery of your tree is part of the fun. Hopping on Doveside’s trusty old wagon, you’ll take a drive through the trees and along the river, singing carols and sipping on hot chocolate. They have over 10 species of trees, planted amongst each other rather than block-style, so the hunt is on! But the team is on hand to help you decipher what’s growing where if you need. One thing Day is proud of is their “stump culture” technique—growing new trees out of existing stumps where they’ve left a few healthy branches, which is faster for them (“you get a new tree within five years, rather than eight to ten”), and also better for the soil and roots ecosystem. But just because it’s faster, doesn’t mean it’s less work; in fact, quite the opposite. “We have to be super on top of the cosmetic work each year, as we have less time to shape a tree when it’s growing that fast.”
Christmas tree farming may not be the most lucrative of businesses, but for these two farms at least, that’s not why they spend hours out in the cold. Instead, sharing the holiday spirit with all the families that come to get one of their trees is what drives their passion for creating festive experiences.
Cowichan Valley Christmas Trees
