Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is encouraging all New Yorkers to buy local Christmas trees and support tree growers across the state this holiday season. Every year, the state assists hundreds of farms statewide, connecting them with new markets to support the $8 million Christmas tree industry.
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| A prize-winning Christmas tree at the state fair. |
Tree-Cutting and Holiday Promotion
To promote New York-grown trees, state Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball joined the Christmas Tree Farmers Association of New York in Ulster County for a tree-cutting to kick-off the holiday season.
A seven-foot balsam fir was donated by Hurd's Family Farm in Modena, Ulster County, to be displayed for the holidays in the New York State Capitol.
In addition, the tree-cutting event highlighted the Shawangunks Wine + Tree promotion, being offered at 17 participating businesses, to support both local Christmas tree farmers and New York craft beverage businesses.
Ball also visited Adair Vineyards in New Paltz as part of the Shawangunks Wine + Tree promotion, which offers customers a free one-of-a-kind wooden ornament with the purchase of either a bottle of wine or tasting and a tree or wreath at participating businesses. The Shawangunks Wine + Trees promotion is supported by funding included in the 2016-17 State Budget.
Learn more about the promotion http://www.nywineandtrees.com/ at this link.
Connecting Upstate Agriculture to the New York City Marketplace
Through the state’s partnership with the Christmas Tree Farmers Association and GrowNYC, hundreds of farm-fresh, Upstate New York Christmas trees will again be sold at downstate Greenmarkets. Vendors are expected to sell about 1,500 trees and between 1,500 and 2,500 fresh wreaths during the next five weeks.
Both trees and wreaths are being sold at the following Greenmarkets: Union Square and Inwood in Manhattan, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Borough Hall, Williamsburg and Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn.
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| Harvesting a tree at Granger's in Oswego County. |
In addition, the state has partnered with the Christmas Tree Farmers Association to bring two Christmas trees from the Finger Lakes to New York City for display during the holidays. Both trees were provided by Domes Tree Farm in Bliss, Wyoming County.
A 30-foot blue spruce will shine brightly at the Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Office Building Plaza during an annual holiday celebration from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 8.
The event will feature live family-friendly entertainment, including music, a visit from Santa and free hot chocolate. At the Lincoln Center, a 30-foot concolor fir will be displayed and lit during the 17th Annual Winter’s Eve event from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 28.
“New York is one of the largest producers of locally-grown Christmas trees anywhere in the country and there is nothing quite like a fresh, locally-grown tree during the holidays," said Ball. "They look better, smell great and stay fresher longer."
Additionally, this year's Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was selected from a resident’s home in Oneonta. The Norway spruce stands at 94 feet tall, is 56 feet in diameter and weighs more than 18 tons.
The 95-year-old tree is the second largest Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree in New York state history. It will be on display at Rockefeller Center until Jan. 7.
With more than 300,000 New York-grown trees sold by 875 farms in Upstate New York, the state ranks fourth in the U.S. in the number of farms selling Christmas trees. The industry supports an economic impact of $8 million in New York State, according to the Christmas Tree Farmers Association.
To find the New York-grown Christmas tree vendor nearest to you, visit the Christmas Tree Farmers of New York http://www.christmastreesny.org/ website at this link.
“New York’s real tree growers are delighted to have these opportunities to bring their trees to markets, and to showcase the quality and freshness of locally grown trees," said Mary Jeanne Packer, executive director of the Christmas Tree Farmers of New York State.
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