The Christmas Giving Tree

A MI Backyard chicken perches and pecks at an evergreen tree placed in its coop. Photo by Jennifer Devine.

MI BACKYARD

By Jennifer Devine

NOTE: Identifying and safely using evergreens as described here takes knowledge and practice. Always consult with an experienced forager or herbalist and your doctor or veterinarian before ingesting or allowing your animals to ingest any evergreen species. Also note some evergreens grown on tree farms are sprayed with pesticides, fertilizers and/or colorants. Ask your tree farmer for more information.

Still wondering what to do with your real Christmas tree after the holidays? Maybe you’ve taken it down. Maybe you’re keeping it up a bit longer. After removing the ornaments, tinsel and lights, the tree that gave such beauty and happiness for a season will continue to give, if you let it.

Burn it, baby

Like some people I know, you might throw your tree out back, waiting for the perfect night to burn it. Depending on what else you are burning at the same time, the ashy contents may not be good for all uses. Or you could be like Brooke Bramlett Allen, who told me, “I toss it in my garden bed, let it dry out, burn it and spread the ashes into the garden for nutrients.”

Wood ash is alkaline and contains different amounts of potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, zinc and more, which all help amend the soil and increase its fertility. Make sure you do your research first, by testing your soil. The results will help you determine how you need to amend it.

Once outside, your tree should be cut up and covered to season (dry out) for use next winter in your fireplace or woodstove. The wood takes 3-12 months to season.  Dry Pinaceae (Pine, Fir, Spruce, etc.) wood is a great firestarter because it catches easily, burns hot and allows slow-burning hardwoods and fruitwoods to ignite faster. Green or brown needles can be used immediately as a starter by bundling them tightly in jute twine or cotton string. Do not rely solely on evergreens to start your indoor fire. Their high-resin content leads to faster buildup of creosote that creates chimney fires.

Feed the ecosystem

Give back to nature. Spruce grouse love spruce needles. Snowshoe hares eat needles, bark and branches. Deer and birds seek a conifer’s protection from the elements. Many types of fungi will only grow on dead wood. Their presence helps the tree to decay and returns nutrients to the earth. Or, you could create habitat for water dwellers.

“My grandpa would always throw his in the pond for the goldfish to hide in,” said Katie Grove of Northern Front Homestead in the Upper Peninsula.

Contact the MDNR to see if they need any trees for use in spawning habitats in our local waterways.

Evidence points to pine needles helping to protect goats from intestinal worms. The needles also contain vitamin C needed in their diet.

“If we had a tree this year, it would be left in the goat pen for them to gnaw on,” Grove added.

The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy accepts unsprayed/undecorated Christmas trees to feed to its goat herd. The conservancy keeps goats to eat invasive species found on its lands. (Learn more at https://www.gtrlc.org/field-notes/invasive-species-goats/). To donate your tree, contact Sam Griffin: sgriffin@gtrlc.org.

As far as other livestock, pigs may take a nibble but would rather play with the tree. Cattle can nibble, but ingesting certain pines, such as the Ponderosa and Monterey, can lead to premature birth or abortion. Chickens enjoy nibbles as they perch in the branches and use the trees as wind and rain shelters. Llamas and alpacas also like to dine on coniferous evergreens, especially in winter. If it wasn’t flocked (dusted with artificial snow) or sprayed with chemicals, please feed the trees in moderation and not as the animals’ sole diet.

Use it or …

Make mulch, compost and wood chips from the trunk. (If you lack access to a machine, ask a local tree company if it performs this service.) Cut the trunk into rounds in different thicknesses. Use thin rounds for ornaments. Make rustic holders for cakes or tiered cupcakes. Use them as coasters. Create wooden steppingstones or put down mulch for a pathway. Make wooden decorations. Do some whittling. 

“Bridger,” with Bear Earth Herbals in Kingsley, recommends white pine or spruce tea.

“I don’t recommend drinking too much of any evergreen tea because it’s strong, but a cup or two a week is great!” she said, adding, “It’s always good to check with your healthcare provider before using new herbs, though.”

If you prefer not to drink tea, you could try Bridger’s other suggestions.

“I love steeping evergreens in a pot of simmering water on the stove, to humidify and aromatize my home,” she enthused. “Also, adding the tea to a hot bath can help with pain.”

Make soaps, salves and “pine” pillows (I prefer balsam fir) that resemble potpourri sachets or an actual pillow. Flavor foods. Grind pine needles to powder and fill a mason jar. Keep this handy to add to smoothies for a boost to your immune system, or sprinkle on top of fish and chicken for a lemony taste, or even add to cookies and baked goods. Pinaceae needles have four to five times more Vitamin C than fresh orange juice, plus they include antioxidants, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties ⸺ in addition to resveratrol (also found in grape skins, red/blue berries and wine), which researchers are studying for possible anti-aging properties, among other benefits.

… Lose it

Some waste disposal companies will pick up trees already cut into pieces. You’ll want to use this option if your tree was flocked, sprayed with fire retardant or colored at the lot. Check with the company first to make sure they accept trees.

RELATED STORIES:

MI BACKYARD