We found our Christmas tree in the field this year. Finding the perfectly shaped pine or cedar, with a crisp, sunny day highlighting the enchanted experience, may be how most of us envision those home-grown Christmas trees coming. But, if you’ve ever gotten a tree straight from the pasture, fencerow or gulley, you know that usually the experience is much less magical and much more work.
Our adventure began with us realizing the chainsaw was broken, and the other one was locked in a shed. So, we scoured around and found a saw. Acknowledging we’re a spry young couple, I thought, surely we can tackle a small cedar with rusty, but sturdy saws with no trouble, right? It took a few days of scoping out the fields, but finally we settled on cedar we thought would be just right.
After 45 minutes of frantic, almost manic sawing, and then grunting and tugging the prize back to the truck, Ryan estimating this tree’s size a few times with outstretched arms, we realized we’d gotten ourselves a real doozy. Back at my house, the tree stood well taller than the gutters, and, upon further inspection, was quite uneven in balance. Much more sawing ensued, and I was about to call it quits on this monster of a tree when we finally decided we’d give the ol’ gal a go inside, despite our doubts. We’d come this far, afterall. There was not a single side to that tree that didn’t look like it’d been starved for light up next to another tree. Out in the field she’d looked so good though! I was getting embarassed at the thought of this tree standing in my house for the Christmas season. The top two feet or so, and about three or so feet off the bottom of the tree had to be massacred just so she could mostly stand up straight in my house. But we persevered. Today, this poor, hideously mangled tree’s boughs have been decked, her gaping holes have been ostentaciously filled with large bows and clusters of jingle bells. It’s by far the ugliest tree we’ve ever seen, despite the labors of love. Guests are quite startled, no doubt, when they see the crooked, unbalanced, scraggly yet giant tree we’ve welcomed home for Christmas. Not surprisingly, Juney, our kitty, loves it.
One thing I’ve come to realize about the whole getting your own tree from your own fields experience though… it’s not always about the perfect finished product. Sometimes it’s just about a good story to go along with a funny memory I’ll always have. Hope you make some memories this Christmas.
Be sure to check out our Christmas Cookbook found in the center of this issue for recipes and our Country Cook profiles. Thanks to all of you for sending in your family's favorite recipes.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Years! God Bless,
