State of Iowa touts buying a fresh Christmas tree in NE Iowa

The Iowa Department of Agriculture is encouraging Northeast Iowans to consider choosing a fresh, Iowa grown Christmas tree to decorate their home this holiday season.

The State Ag Department maintains a directory of tree farms across Iowa at their website, www.IowaChristmasTrees.com.  On the website there is a "Find a Farm" link on the top left-hand corner of the page.  Besides the location of the farms, the directory also includes a phone number and hours of operation for each farm to assist in planning.

The Department of Agriculture reminds the public that if you are not putting up your Christmas tree right away, store it in an unheated garage or some other area out of the wind and cold (freezing) temperatures. When bringing the tree into the house, cut off one inch at the base end and place the tree in a bucket of warm water.  The state is also reminding yo to recycle your tree after Christmas.