Like so many of you, we like to take time during our Christmas celebration to reach out to loved ones, those close to us as well as the ones we haven’t heard from in a while.

This year we were blessed to expand our “family” to include all of the new friends we’ve made throughout this journey. Happy holidays to everyone out there!

As we count down to the last couple of days before Christmas, we thought we’d share a little bit of our experience getting ready for the holidays.

Just like everything else in our lives, one of our goals this Christmas was to “green” it up a bit. Of course, the first thing we had to consider was our choice of tree. In years past, this was simple… it only had to be the perfect tree. A subjective decision, to be sure, but we usually had quite a few candidates to pick from since we typically take the time to visit more than one lot. This year, the heat was really on. In our initial conversations, Maggie and I contemplated the chopping down of trees and the alternative of going with artificial trees that could be re-used for years to come. I had never considered buying an artificial tree, but maybe this was the year – after all this was turning out to be a year of many “firsts.”

To Be (Real), Or Not to Be

While we flipped back and forth on the decision to go artificial, none of that mattered until we actually stopped by a Home Depot store to take a look at some options. We walked past the natural trees in the Nursery, inhaling their fresh, just-cut-from-a-faraway-forest scent. Inside, the artificial trees were displayed on raised platforms. These trees didn’t look as attractive – something about the perfect spacing of the “branches” and predetermined “needle” density just doesn’t feel quite right.

However, these trees, like the lawnmowers two aisles down, do come with something no natural tree can match: a tag with a bullet list of features. We quickly learned that there are bare trees and pre-lit trees, and the pre-lit were divided into two categories, those with standard incandescent mini lights, and those with the newer, energy-efficient LED lights. And the difference was huge. The LED trees claimed to use 80-85% less energy to illuminate.

That sounded pretty green! However, not wanting to rush a decision, we searched Google for information on the eco-friendliness of real v. artificial trees.

Keeping it Real..Confusing

The first study we ran across looked like it might be just a bit biased. It was featured on the web site for the National Christmas Tree Association. Presented in chart format, it offers a side by side comparison touting the benefits of going with a natural tree. The information looked good, but we had to keep looking.

The next web site suddenly took us on a 180-degree turn. The American Christmas Tree Association offers a similar list of reasons for why artificial is better. OK, two rival groups going after the same market segment, matching up point for point in a marketing war. Once again, there would be no black and white – this would be a personal decision.

So we drilled down further into the search results, exploring deeper. We came to find that natural trees are not contributing to deforestation, since most of them are now raised on tree farms located in places where other types of plants have difficulty growing. The young trees are able to generate oxygen and capture carbon, and if recycled after their use, can be converted into mulch or composted. Not bad. But most tree farms use pesticides and chemical fertilizers just like other conventional farms. That means groundwater contamination and exposure at our end.

Artificial trees are usually produced in other countries. We confirmed that several boxes had that infamous “Made in China” fine print. These trees are also usually made of PVC (a petroleum product), which is reported to release toxic dioxins and is often stabilized with lead. Proponents of artificial trees debate this, saying the levels are too low to have any harmful effects on humans. By this time, we were feeling outside of our comfort zone.

We skipped Home Depot and Lowe’s altogether, and made the drive to Houston Garden Center, where we asked about organically grown trees. A salesperson walked us to a handful of rows, where we were surprised to see tags on natural trees. The tags informed us that these trees were grown sustainably, based on factors of air, water and land use and certified by a third party. Within minutes, Katerina found a tall, robust tree that we were all excited about.

Back home, that pine scent has never been sweeter! We trimmed the tree together, and are looking forward to next year, when we will make the switch to LED light strands.

Here are a couple of ideas that we ran across on other sites, which you may wish to consider as you green up your Christmas:

• Live Christmas Tree – You buy a live, potted tree which you can keep indoors during the season and move out to your deck or yard until the following year.
• Non-traditional Tree – Start with a natural tree. At the end of the season, strip away all needles, so that all you have left is the skeletal branch structure. Then spray paint it a shiny color (candy apple red?). For years to come you’ll be able to trim a rather eccentric, home-made tree.

Happy holidays to everyone!
Adrian, Maggie and Katerina

P.S. The tree and lighting options are not the only ones to consider. We also bought some garland decorations from Target this year. Just before hanging them, we took a look at the tags and saw that the label indicated the product contained lead. Once again, they were made in China. We piled them into the car and returned them that afternoon. We’re used to scrutinizing what we put in our bodies, but it’s important to also know what we’re bringing into our homes.

Cathy Sullivan invited our family to join her for a day of planting and good, old-fashioned conversation at Happy Heart Family Farm. We’d be joined by Christian and Lisa Seger, Mickey Morales and Sandy Shoelman.

We have to admit that the three of us were very excited about the idea of doing real farm work, especially Katerina. Immediately after we notified her of Cathy’s invitation, she ran to get all her gardening tools ready. It was then that it hit me that we are probably the least-qualified candidates for the job. We hardly know anything about gardening, much less about planting crops. I can barely keep my hot pepper plants alive. But Cathy assured me that we were going to do just fine.

We were the first ones to arrive at the farm, which gave us an opportunity to talk to Cathy and enjoy the morning sun. She owns 10 acres, of which she rents 1/3 to another farmer for pasture. Even without that portion of land it seems like a generous lot for her animals and garden.

We walked around the property and within minutes, Katerina had already found her favorite spot. Right under a shade tree, an old-fashioned swing was calling her name. She immediately sprinted in that direction and started swinging from one side to another, fearless like only a child could be. After seeing how much fun she was having, Adrian insisted that he had to give it a try as well. Giggles and laughter were heard across Happy Heart Family Farm, it was the perfect initiation to a day full of fun activities.

Once the other guests started arriving, Cathy introduced us to all the animals that live on her farm. First we heard the curious story of Leonard, the pygmy goat. According to Cathy, while tending her booth at the Rice Stadium Farmer’s Market, two students living on-campus at Rice University approached her with an offer she couldn’t resist: a pet goat they could no longer keep hidden in their dorm room. The noise Leonard was making was attracting the wrong attention, especially that of the resident advisor. The RA finally gave them an ultimatum, “either the goat goes, or you do”. Faced with that choice, the students had to find Leonard a new home. Since then, Leonard couldn’t be happier, eating weeds, fruits and roaming around freely. We were all in love with him – something about his petite size makes him irresistible.

Near Leonard, we saw two male Saanen goats chewing endlessly (and when don’t they?), helping Cathy in keeping the weeds at bay.

We left the goats behind and headed towards the chicken coop, where we saw guineas pecking insects out of the ground and a rooster guarding his flock. We also saw a couple of rabbits which Katerina wanted to take home, until we explained that those were being raised to become someone’s dinner. Shocked by what she had just heard, she turned to me in hopes that I would assure her that it was only a joke. After a moment of silence I just shrugged and explained that that was the reality of life. Soon after, we all found ourselves in the garden area.

Laid out before my eyes was the picture-perfect garden that I had always envisioned for myself, with a wide variety of fruits and vegetables that could feed a family year-round. Cathy’s garden allows her to enjoy the fruits of her labor and sell the surplus at local farmers’ markets. Even though her products are not stamped with an USDA Organic seal, she practices sustainable agriculture, using the principles of biodiversity and crop rotation to help curb insect infestations and plant disease.

At the time of our visit the farm was producing different varieties of eggplant, okra, long beans, hot peppers, pumpkins, dinosaur kale, lettuce, radishes, broccoli, cauliflower and all kinds of herbs, including medicinal flowers. She also had persimmon, orange, lime and lemon trees which were loaded with fruit. In addition to fruits and vegetables, she has access to a steady supply of eggs from free-range laying hens. Cathy’s property is surprisingly diverse and productive.

After our tour, we were all ready to get our hands dirty. We walked towards the row that Cathy had previously prepared. In the days preceding our arrival she had removed all rocks, turned the soil and added compost and other nutrients. The result was an enriched soil that would also be easier for us to work with.

She split us into two groups at opposite ends of the row, armed us with trays of onion bulbs and explained the basics of onion planting. We were to plant each bulb 3-4 inches apart, burying them one inch into the soft soil. Cathy commented that November is one of the best months of the year to plant these bulbs and that within a few months she will be able to harvest some green onions. Those that remain in the ground will continue growing into late spring, when they’ll mature into full-size onions. She also pointed out that the numerous green stalks that grew from the bulb corresponded to each layer of the onion over the course of its development. With six field hands, we were done in no time.

After all the hard labor we had worked up an appetite. Mickey Morales was in charge of the meal, and his timing was impeccable. He runs a catering business in the Houston area, so it’s safe to say he has a talent for food preparation. On the menu were orange-marinated roasted broilers, grilled mushroom and shrimp kabobs and vegetarian pizzas. I brought a salad prepared from ingredients we had bought from the market the day before, and Cathy served some home-made hibiscus herbal tea.

The meal was delightful, and time flew in the company of friends. We shared laughter and conversation, each of us enjoying a pause in our normal routines. I am deeply grateful to Cathy for giving me the opportunity to share in this new experience. What started as a lesson in planting, became an opportunity to strengthen bonds with people we’ve come to respect and admire.

I can’t wait to see these onions in the market. I know that this crop will be special, because it was planted with love and care.

Enjoy more photos from our visit.