Bill OBoyle: Ensuring the Christmas tree industry stays healthy
It's a fun thought — especially with these recent hot and humid days we've been having. It's nice to think about Christmas and snow and Santa and family celebrations and, oh yeah, Christmas trees.
So it was very comforting to hear that Pennsylvania's Christmas tree industry has a new, reliable, competent friend in Kelly Piccioni — Penn State Extension's horticulture educator — who has been hired to support the state's Christmas tree industry with field visits, scouting reports and clear, easy-to-follow guidance.
Before I get into why this is so significant, just know that those of you who still enjoy the long-standing tradition of having a real Christmas tree adorn your homes for the holidays, Piccioni has your back.
When I was a kid, my mom always insisted on having a perfectly proportioned Douglas fir in our front room — centered in front of two large windows for the neighborhood to see and admire.
Mom, Dad and I would head over to Last Chance in Breslau to pick one out, strap it to our car and head home to set it up and then decorate.
Back then, most homes had real trees of varying species, and all were magnificent.
Which is why Piccioni has a big job to do — to see that the tradition of real Christmas trees continues and that tree farmers have all the information and guidance they need.
A news release from University Park states, "At one time, Christmas Eve was the most popular day to buy and decorate a Christmas tree. The evergreen would stay up through the holiday season and into the winter, offering a symbol of life during the darkest months.
"For Penn State Extension Horticulture Educator Kelly Piccioni, Christmas trees are a family legacy. Her roots in the Christmas tree business stretch back four generations, starting with her great-grandfather, who bought trees off the railroad and resold them. Her grandparents grew trees in Schuylkill County and sold them from their backyard on Centre Avenue in Reading, Berks County."
Piccioni knows all about the Christmas tree tradition.
"Growing up, we did every job on the farm," Piccioni said. "There's even a special 'Christmas tree waddle' we learned as kids for planting seedlings."
Piccioni provides educational resources and support to commercial producers of Christmas trees, cut flowers and other horticultural crops in the region. Her role is especially significant given that Pennsylvania ranks third in the nation for Christmas tree production.
"I've been out as much as possible, which has been so fun," Piccioni said. "You see the challenges people face, their strengths and the progress on their farms. Christmas tree growers are some of the best people. That's always drawn me to the green industry and ag world. I get to geek out every day as they let me walk around their farms."
Each Thursday, growers subscribed to the Christmas Tree Production Area of Interest list receive a new report noting pest and disease activity observed in the field, along with pesticide guidance and management tips.
Piccioni collaborates closely with the Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Growers Association to deliver content and support grower meetings and information sharing.
"Yes, we're always competing with artificial trees, but so many people keep coming back to a real tree because they miss the tradition, they miss the smell, and they want their kids to experience it," she said.
Piccioni cited a 2024 consumer survey by the Real Christmas Tree Board, in which more than 80% of respondents agreed that the scent of a real Christmas tree makes their home feel festive, relaxes them and enhances their holiday experience.
"I think everyone feels a bit of the innocence of childhood seeping away with technology," she said. "There's so much pressure and chaos at that time of year, but going out to get a real tree forces you to slow down. It's childlike in the best way."
For real.
Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
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