’Deck the Halls’ with fresh Christmas trees, wreaths, swags and kissing balls. Drag those aching joints out of the easy chair and gather your brood together. You’ll be glad you did. A brisk, refreshing day making memories at Bald-win Farms with your loved ones is the perfect beginning to a wonderful holiday. ’Tis the Sea-son to be Jolly….. Remember ...the trees purchased from Baldwin Farms are as fresh as Christmas trees can ever be. Fresh cut trees smell wonderful, look greener and last longer.

.

Tree Shopping Tips

Evaluate Your Needs

Measure the ceiling height in the room

where the tree will be displayed. The trees in the field look small when the sky is the ceiling.

Measure the width of the area of the room

where the tree will be displayed. Most trees on tree farms are trimmed to an 80% taper. So a tree that's 10' tall will be 8' wide at the bottom. A tree that will fit in the room vertically may be entirely too big horizontally.

What decorating theme will be used? Some

species have more open foliage, stiffer branches or longer needles. Read our notes on the characteristics of the different species to help you make a wise choice. (Pages 4-5)

Take your measuring tape and a couple

bandanas with you to measure and mark your favorites while you make your selection. When You Arrive

We try to keep our fields neat, but some

things are beyond our control. Be careful of tree stumps, an occasional vine, uneven ground and sharp saws.

Come prepared! Wear comfortable shoes

and old warm clothes. Bring rain gear if the weather is threatening. The "cutter downers" and the "loader uppers" should also bring gloves. Don’t Forget the Camera.

It's best to leave "Rover" at home but if you

bring a pet, keep him on a leash at all times. Please don't let him "mark" other people's trees.

Check the website for our pricing policy.

Your best selections may be at the back of the

field since most people shop near the field entrance.

Check the trunk to be sure that it is sufficiently

straight.

Saw the trunk as close to the ground as possible

so the handle is long enough to fit into the stand.

Saws are provided. Cutting the tree is easiest as

a two person project. The "cutter downer" usually lies on the ground. While the helper holds the bottom limbs up. While the cut is being made, the helper should tug on the tree lightly to ensure that the saw kerf remains open and the saw does not bind. The tugging force should be applied to the side of the tree opposite the cut.

Bring the tree to the processing area for check-

out and refreshments.

We have string to tie on your tree.

Shop Kelly House for gift and food ideas.

Load Up! We hope you made wonderful memo-

ries.

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Newsletter

Deck the Halls Volume 1, Issue 4

December, 2011

Coupon Special— Find Your Picture

P 2

About Tradition P 2

Kissing Ball History P 2

Tree Farm Puzzle P 3

Christmas Tree History

P 3

500 Yr. Anniversary Tree Notes

P 4 P4

Tree Notes, Con’t. Contact Info

P5 P6

Recipe Corner P6

Inside this issue:

News

Now Accepting

Credit and Debit

Cards

Christmas Season

11:00—6:00

(including Sunday) 11

-25—12-22

Coupon—Find Your

Picture

Check the Web!

Share our Newslet-

ter!

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book!

Visit Us Soon!

Most of us enjoy holiday traditions that go beyond tree trimming and drinking

eggnog. Do you decorate your tree right after Thanksgiving or do you wait until

Christmas Eve? And, who gets to put the angel or star on the top of the tree?

Does your gang read ―’Twas the Night Before Christmas‖ on Christmas Eve or

attend a church service together? Do you prepare special foods and sing Happy

Birthday to Jesus? There are many wonderful Christmas traditions like these,

some sentimental and heartwarming while others are just plain fun.

A tradition doesn’t have to be fancy. It just has to be something you enjoy do-ing every year and something you share that brings you closer to those you love. It’s your choice what you choose as a tradition. Any idea that creates fun and happy memories of Christmases spent together is a great tradition. Whatever makes your family feel warm and loved is the best kind of tradition. As people’s lives change, kids grow up and new families begin, perhaps it’s a good time to begin a new tradition or two. To celebrate the ―Twelve Days of Christmas,‖ here are twelve ideas mentioned to me as keepers.

1. Hang a magic Santa Key on the front doorknob or wreath so that he can get inside.

2. Watch ―A Christmas Story‖ with your family.

3. Have a tree-decorating party.

4. Write a Christmas letter.

5. Invite someone who spends Christmas alone to share in your Christmas dinner.

6. Spend time together serving dinner in a homeless shelter.

7. Help pass out food gifts or toys with the Salvation Army or Goodwill.

8. Donate a goat or cow for a family through Feed the Children.

9. Do Secret Santa good deeds for the elderly in your community.

10. Dress up in costume or Santa hats and sing or perform skits on Christmas Eve.

11. Hide a pickle ornament deep within the tree; the person finding it gets an extra gift.

12. The men of the family cook Christmas morning breakfast (and clean up).

Our customers enjoy the Baldwin Farms Tradition. Starting the day after Thanksgiving, we gather at the farm to find the perfect tree, enjoy companionship, refreshments and good cheer. We invite you to join us. After Christmas, send us an email and let us know about your family traditions. We’d love to hear from you. Just remember….it’s about being together so don’t fuss too much over details.

Traditions

Coupon Special Find your picture in this newsletter.

Print the newsletter.

Show us your picture when you visit to

receive $5 off your purchase.

It’s our way of saying “Thank You” for

“Making Memories” at Baldwin Farms.

Page 2 Baldwin Farms Volume 1, Issue 4

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Kissing Under The Mistletoe was a Celtic ritual found in Norse mythology. Legend holds that mistle-

toe was hung up in farmhouses where the young men had the privilege of stealing a kiss from the

maids after which they reached up to remove one berry. When all the berries were gone, the privilege

ceased. We moderns have conveniently forgotten the part about plucking the berries (which, inciden-

tally, are poisonous), and then desisting from kissing under the mistletoe when the berries run out!

Don’t Forget the Extras…

Kissing Balls- Swags

Wreaths - Garlands

Great Gift Ideas ... Honey-Apple Salsa, Penn’s Country Ham, Sorghum, Chow-Chow, Local Honey, Apple Butter, Pickles, Fresh Tomato BBQ Sauce,

.

History of Christmas Trees

1510 – The first written record of a

decorated Christmas Tree comes from Riga, Latvia. Men of the local merchants’ guild deco-rated a tree with artificial roses, danced around it in the marketplace and then set fire to it. The rose was used for many years and is considered to be a sym-bol for the Virgin Mary.

1530 – There is record from Alsace, France (then

Germany territory) that trees were sold in the market-place, brought home and set up undecorated. Laws limited the size to ―8 shoe lengths‖ (slightly over 4 feet).

1600s – By the 17th century, it was common in

Germany to decorate Christmas Trees with apples. This practice was a holdover from the 14th and 15th centuries when evergreen boughs hung with apples were the only prop used in the ―miracle plays‖ that were performed at the churches on December 24. December 24 was Adam & Eve’s Day in the early Christian calendar. The plays were used as ways of teaching the Bible to a largely illiterate population.

1700s – In parts of Austria and Germany, ever-

green tips were brought into the home and hung top down from the ceiling. They were often decorated with apples, gilded nuts and red paper strips. Edible orna-ments became so popular on Christmas Trees that they were often called ―sugar trees.‖ The first accounts of using lighted candles as decorations on Christmas Trees come from France in the 18th century.

1800s –

The Christmas Tree was intro-duced in the United States by German set-tlers. It rapidly grew from ta-bletop size to floor-to-ceiling.

1 8 5 1 –

C h r i s t m a s Trees began to

be sold commercially in the United States. They were taken at random from the forests.

1853 – Franklin Pierce is credited with bringing

the first Christmas Tree to the White House.

Late 1800s – The first glass ornaments were intro-

duced into the United States, again from Germany. The first ones were mostly balls, but later chains of balls, toys and figures became more common.

Around 1883 – Sears, Roebuck & Company began of-

fering the first artificial Christmas trees – 33 limbs for $.50 and 55 limbs for $1.00.

1900s – Due to overharvesting, the natural supply of

evergreens began to be decimated. Conservationists be-came alarmed, and many magazines began to encourage people to substitute an artificial ―snow‖ covered tree, con-sisting of a branch of a deciduous tree wrapped in cotton.

1901 – The first Christmas Tree farm was started in

1901 when W.V. McGalliard planted 25,000 Norway spruce on his farm in New Jersey. Also in 1901, Theodore Roose-velt tried to stop the practice of having Christmas Trees out of concern about the destruction of forests. His two sons didn’t agree and enlisted the help of conservationist Gifford Pinchot to persuade the President that, done properly, the practice was not harmful to the forests.

1930s – President Franklin D. Roosevelt started a

Christmas Tree farm on his estate in Hyde Park, New York.

1966 – The National Christmas Tree Association began

its time-honored tradition of having the Grand Champion grower present a Christmas Tree to the First Lady for dis-play in the Blue Room of the White House. That year, How-ard Pierce of Black River Falls, Wisconsin, presented a tree to President Lyndon Johnson and First Lady Ladybird Johnson.

Today – Approximately 25-30 million Real Christmas

Trees are sold each year in the United States. Almost all of these come from Christmas Tree plantations. *Timeline provided by The Rocks Christmas Tree Farm, Bethlehem, NH.

Volume 1, Issue 4 Baldwin Farms Page 3

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Norway Spruce

The Rockefeller Center in NYC chooses this tree as a favorite year after year. Its strong branches are able to hold up the thousands of lights and ornaments. This is not a tree for a small yard! Although they do best in full sunshine they can tolerate some shading up to 50% and still survive but the growth rate and density will be reduced. The Norway spruce has a fibrous deep spreading root system that makes this tree very wind firm able to withstand winds up to 100MPH. To retain its excellent color and stiff needles, it should be kept properly watered.

Colorado Blue Spruce

A Colorado Blue Spruce has a nice pyramidal shape with strong limbs that can hold heavy ornaments. It’s known for its lovely blue foliage which can also appear silvery. If your decorating scheme does not include this bluish tint, this tree may not be right for your home. Blue spruce is finding increasing popu-larity as a living Christmas tree as a result of its symmetrical form and attractive blue foliage to be planted after the holiday season. It has an excellent natural shape and requires little shearing. Needle retention is among the best for the spruces. It has a narrow, pyramidal shape and cone-shaped crown. As trees become older, they often take on a more irregular appearance. While blue spruce grows rela-tively slowly, it is long-lived and may reach ages of 600-800 years.

White Spruce

As a Christmas tree, white spruce has excellent foliage color, short stiff needles and a good natural shape. Needle retention is better than some of other spruce species. White spruce has a cone-shaped crown, and when grown in the open develops a conical crown which extends nearly to the ground. This growth habit, along with the spread-ing branches, gives it a nice appearance for use as an ornamental. Trees often reach 80-140 feet in height and 1.5 to 3 feet in diameter. The oldest white spruce may reach 300 years of age. Leaves (needles) are needle-shaped, and are often somewhat crowded on the upper half of the branchlets. Needles are usually 1/2 to 3/4 inch long, blunt at the tip and green to bluish-green in color. Typically, needles are 4 angled (4-sided) and are present on short twig-like structures on the stem (sterigmata).

Tree Notes, con’t. Page 1

Page 4 Ba ldwin Farms Page 4 Baldwin Farms Volume 1, Issue 4

500 Year Anniversary!

The first decorated Christmas Tree appeared

in Riga, Latvia, in 1510. That tradition contin-

ues today in homes around the world. This

Christmas season, celebrate 500 years of

Real Tree tradition. Buy a real Christmas tree

to continue the tradition.

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Our Newsletter

Real Trees are a renewable,

recyclable resource.

For every Real Christmas Tree har-

vested, 1 to 3 seedlings are planted the

following spring .

White Pine

Branches from the White Pine are often used in garlands, wreaths, and centerpieces due to their long, feathery, soft needles, bluish-green to silver green in color arranged irregularly in bundles of five, about 2 ½ to 5 inches long. Cones are 4-8 inches long, slightly curved and mature at the end of the second sea-son. Though it is a beautiful tree, branches can be a bit too flexible to support heavier decorations. Its lush fullness also makes it difficult to squeeze in ornaments. The White Pine needles last a long time when properly watered. For Christmas trees, sheared trees are preferred, although some people feel shearing results in trees too dense for larger ornaments. Needle retention is good to excellent. White pine has very little aroma, but, conversely, is reported to result in fewer allergic reactions than do some of the more aromatic species. To produce a 6-foot tree requires 6-8 years on good sites. Beginning with the British colonists, eastern white pine (or white pine) has proven to be one of the most important and most desirable species of North America. It is a truly magnificent tree attaining a height of 80 feet or more at maturity with a diameter of two to three feet.

Canadian Hemlock

This handsome and graceful evergreen makes a beautiful Christmas tree. It’s also ideal for screening, groupings, and foundation plantings. It may be sheared to any height or shape and likes full sun to light shade. It’s a medium grower, up to 40' - 70'. Plant 2' apart for hedge. Canadian hemlock trees require a soil that is moist but that offers good drainage. Shallow-rooted, they also need protection from the wind. But unlike many large trees, Canadian hemlocks will tolerate quite a bit of shade. Slow-growing and long-lived, Canadian hemlock trees in the wild may reach 80 feet tall or higher, with a spread of 25' to 30'. These fragrant plants are pyramidal or conical in shape, and their small needles give them a fine texture.

For every Real the following

spring .

Fraser Fir

The Fraser Fir may be the perfect holiday tree. Its attractive 1" needles are silvery-green and soft to the

touch. Because there is space between the branches, the Fraser is easier to decorate than some trees.

The firm branches hold heavier ornaments. The trees grow to almost perfect shapes, and as long as the cut

tree is kept properly watered, the Frasier Fir has excellent needle retention. Found only in high-elevation

regions of the South as well as in the Northeast and Great lakes states, we ship these trees in from North

Carolina which produces the majority of the Fraser Firs sold for Christmas trees.

Baldwin Farms Page 5 Volume 1, Issue 4 Baldwin Farms

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Approximately 25-30 million real

Christmas Trees are sold in the U.S.

every year.

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Preparation

Colorful...Festive….Fancy Enough for a Holiday Dinner Easy Enough for a Weekday Family Meal Acorn Squash is Still Available at the Farm $.40 Each

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 7 x 11 baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Cut acorn squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds, place cut side down in pre-pared baking dish.

3. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until tender.

4. Beat egg whites until frothy. Reserve 1T Dry Bread Crumbs, mix all other ingredi-ents into the beaten egg whites.

5. Remove squash from oven and carefully turn it over. Place half the bread crumb mixture into each squash half. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 tablespoon bread crumbs, then spray with cooking spray.

6. Return to over and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until filling is set with tops golden.

Note: Serve as a side dish or a main dish. As a main dish, half a squash should equal one serv-ing. As a side dish, half a squash should be about 2 servings so cut each half of the cooked squash in half. Did you know every part of the squash plant can be eaten, including the leaves and tender shoots, which can be cooked in omelets or made into soup.

Ingredients

4 Servings

Cooking spray

2 Acorn Squash (about 4 pounds)

2 (11 oz) cans Mexican-style corn,

Drained

2 Egg Whites

1/2 Cup Dry Bread Crumbs, Divided

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Baldwin Farms

1113 Tates Creek Road

Richmond, KY 40475

Mailing Address:

P. O. Box 907

Richmond, KY 40476

Phone: 859-582-5785

Email: mbaldwin@baldwinfarmsky.com

To change your email address, share a story or recipe with us,

email us at newsletter@baldwinfarmsky.com .

To opt out of the newsletter, e-mail us at newsletter@baldwinfarmsky.com .

Baldwin Farms Volume 1, Issue 4

Pedro Helping A Customer!

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Recipe Corner

Corn Stuffed Squash

Page 6

Did You Know 1 cup (cooked, baked, drained, without salt) acorn squash has great

nutritional value? Calories 115; Protein 2 grams; Carb 30 grams; Fiber 9 grams;

Calcium 9%; Iron 11%; Magnesium 22 % Potassium 26%; Zinc 2%; Selenium 2%;

Vit C 37%; Phosphorous 9%; Manganese 22%; Copper 9%; Vit A, 18%; Vit C 37%

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and she shall call His

name Emmanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

“She brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him up in swaddling

clothes, and laid him in a manger because there was no room for him at the

inn.” Luke: 2:7

May the blessings of the Christmas Season be abundant throughout the year.