VCTGA Virginia Evergreen eNews Journal November 2019

TO: Greetings!

NVirginia Evergreen eNews Journal In This Issue

President's Message Christmas Tree Promotion Board (CTPB) - Kelly Clarkson Show 11/22/19 Your Customers Could Win $1,000 in CTPB Photo Contest Shipping Trees - Spotted Lanternfly and News Media Mountain View Farm / Steve Rhoades Ownership to Son Additional Resources Below Trees For Troops Needs Your Support Your Free Mini-Website page on the VCTGA website - Update Now VA Tech Extension Christmas Tree Publications VCTGA Conference Speaker PowerPoint Presentations Tree Tag Order Info/Form VCTGA Facebook Group - How to Join Support our advertisers - hot links with each ad

Good day everyone.

I hope this message finds all of you well and ready for another successful - and likely hectic - Christmas selling season. In the for what it's worth department, the long range weather forecast is calling for above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation. So perhaps we should all plan for colder temps along with snow and freezing rain!

With the shortened selling season this year we will all face challenges with our supply of trees to meet the needs of our customers. Whenever you can, I would remind the public that everyone who wants a live tree will be able to have one. It may not be exactly the tree they wanted but we as an industry are working diligently to fulfill the public's needs this Christmas season. We should also remind everyone that it is in their interest to go tree shopping as early in the season as they can. We are already hearing of farms announcing reduced operating days and hours.

Remember, you can always share information with other VCTGA members on our members only Facebook page. So GOOD LUCK and don't hesitate to let VCTGA know if you have any questions or suggestions!

Have a great season and a Merry Christmas!

Jeff Gregson, VCTGA President

The Kelly Clarkson Show Welcomes the CTPB

On November 6, Christmas tree growers George and Ryan Richardson represented the industry during the taping of a Christmas tree segment on the Kelly Clarkson Show. The Richardsons shared the primary messages of fresh Christmas trees being best for creating family memories as well as the environmental benefits of real trees, while demonstrating to Clarkson and her guests how to select and care for a fresh Christmas tree.

The set featured more than a dozen beautiful, fresh trees displayed like a Christmas tree lot.

While the Richardson's talked trees with Clarkson, her celebrity guests "shopped" in the tree lot - selecting their favorites and asking their own questions of George and Ryan.

Your Customers Could Win $1,000 in Our Photo Contest Christmas tree retailers are encouraged to promote the 2019 Real Trees, Real Memories photo contest to your customers and they may win one of four weekly $250 prizes or the grand prize of $1,000. This contest is being run in cooperation with Red Tricycle, an on-line family activity resource.

Encourage your customers to share photos or videos of their tried-andtrue fresh Christmas tree traditions; family tree-hunting adventures, the trip home from the tree lot, decorating fun and everything in between!

It's easy for your customers to enter, and even easier for you to promote.

Simply print the promotional flyer or poster and display near your check out. Click on this link to download the flyer and poster - you can print yourself, or have it done at your local printer. https://www.ctpbresourcecenter.com /#/2019-contest-posters/

This episode is currently scheduled to air on Friday, November 22, however that date may change. CTPB will be announcing the segment 24 hours prior to airing on the It's Christmas. Keep it Real Facebook and Instagram pages.

The Kelly Clarkson Show is syndicated by NBC Universal and runs in more than 210 markets across the US as well as in Canada. Check this link to find out where the program airs in your market: https://www.kellyclarksonshow.com/exclusive s/where-to-watch (George and Ryan Richardson at NBC Universal Studios prior to taping the Kelly Clarkson Show.)

Be Prepared If You ARE Shipping Trees Through/To Quarantine areas

the CTPB and NCTA.

As many of you know, there has been an issue with a pest called the Spotted Lanternfly in several states in the east. Although it does not hurt Christmas tree species, the Christmas tree industry received a lot of bad press on this topic last year. The leaders in the impacted areas have been working diligently to correct the story as has

We have worked with a team at Penn State and our public relations firm to develop the attached fact sheet. We will be using this to address media and consumer questions and urge you to do the same. Also, please share this with your grower members, as we know that the media is likely to speak with growers as the holiday season approaches.

VA Tech Spotted Lanternfly Pest Alert Christmas Tree Promotion Board Spotted Lanternfly Fact Sheet (quarantine and news media responses) Thank you!

Jenny Tomaszewski Christmas Tree Promotion Board

Mountain View Farm / Steve Rhoades Ownership to Son Our son, Kenneth, is now the owner of Mountain View Farm Kenneth A. Rhoades (Ken) rhoadesk enneth306@gmail.com (540) 459-4976 2167 Rittenour Rd. Edinburg, VA 22824 We will change our VCTGA website accordingly. I will continue to be fully involved with work on the farm. We simply decided that this is a good time to make the transition to Ken's ownership of the business.

Steve Rhoades, long-time Christmas tree grower, VCTGA member and board member, Newsletter contributor

Dear Fellow Members, The Trees For Troops Program is entering its 15th season supplying Christmas trees to US military families around the world.

During this period over a quarter of a million trees have been donated by growers to honor our military families by giving them a real tree to celebrate the Christmas season.

Virginia participated in the program even before its official beginning when Tom O’Halloran donated trees to military families at Quantico Marine Base. Many of us followed by donating trees and hosting pickup sites around the state.

As the supply of trees became tight participation waned and only Mount Rogers Area Christmas Tree Growers (MRACTGA) has continued by filling a FedEx trailer each year.

As you might imagine sustaining that commitment has been a challenge for their growers. I, with the support of our Board, would like to propose that VCTGA make a donation toward this effort by sending funds to Mount Rogers to purchase trees

to help go toward filling the FedEx trailer this year.

We are asking each farm that will have sales this season to make a donation by sending a check to the VCTGA office by November 30, 2019.

Any donation will make a difference whether its $25, $30, $50 or more; Checks should be made payable to VCTGA Mail to: 383 Coal Hollow Rd Christiansburg, VA 24073 Thank you in advance in aiding in this very worthwhile project!

John Carroll claybrookefarm@gmail.com (540) 872-8026

Trees for Troops being loaded on FedEx trailer in 2015 at Willow Springs Tree Farms with trees donated by growers in Southwest Virginia The Trees for Troops program is in it's 15th season. We are proud to have delivered 225,319 trees to servicemen and women over the last 14 years. M ore than 800 different real Christmas tree growers have contributed trees in those 14 years

Update Your FREE Mini-webpage on the VCTGA Website Consumers use the VCTGA website Locator to find your farm or retail outlet This document provides information about the member admin area of www.virginiachristmastrees.org Or Click here to save a PDF file with the details listed below plus screen shots.

Home Page 1) Visit http://www.virginiachristmastrees.org and log in using your username and password in the upper right corner of the home page.

If you do not remember your user name and/or password, email

secretary@virginiachristmastrees.org

Members Only Area 2) Click the “Edit your information” link on the Members Only Area.

3) Click on the Minipage tab.

4) The first editor area is for the Products section in the sidebar on your page.

5) The second editor area is for the main content area of the minipage.

6) Click the Save button at the very bottom of the page where you are editing the minipage content to actually save the changes.

Public View Uploading New Images 1) To upload and insert a new image, click in the main content area where you want the new picture to be placed.

2) Then click the Insert Media button (fourth button from the left, looks like two mountains with a sun and says “Insert Media” if you hover your mouse cursor over it). A new window will appear.

3) To upload a new image, click “Add New” at the top of the second pane.

4) The form at the bottom of the window will change and show a Choose File or Browse field. Click the button to open a standard file dialog window.

5) Locate the file on the member’s computer and click “Open” or “OK” depending on the computer. The file dialog window will disappear. Click Save in the form at the bottom of the window.

6) The new image will be uploaded to the member’s directory and it will appear in the list in the second pane.

7) The member can then click on it to select it and then click the OK button to insert the image into the page and close the window.

8) Click the Save button at the very bottom of the page where the member is editing their minipage content to actually save the changes.

Inserting Images 1) To insert an image, click in the main content area where you want the new picture to be placed.

2) Then click the Insert Media button (fourth button from the left, looks like two mountains with a sun and says “Insert Media” if you hover your mouse cursor over it). A new window will appear.

3) In the new window, click on the Library Images folder in the left pane. A list of all pictures uploaded by the member will appear in the second pane.

4) If the member just wants to select one of those images to add to the page, click the image. A preview of the image will appear in the right pane and the link to the image will appear in the form at the bottom of the new window.

5) The member can adjust various settings for the image in that form (size, alignment, padding, etc.).

6) Once everything is set, click the OK button to insert the image and close the window.

7) Click the Save button at the very bottom of the page where the member is editing their minipage content to actually save the changes.

TIP: Click here for Virginia Tech Extension Christmas Tree Publications

Click Purcell Ad for full-size ad and Here for link to their website

2019

2019

2019

VCTGA Conference Speaker PowerPoint Presentations as PDF files (Click on the title to open a PDF copy of the presentations, which you can also print/save to your computer)

1. State of the Christmas Tree Industry, Trends and Opportunities - Jeff Owen, NCSU 2. Advancements in Technology, Weed Management and Controlling Cones - Jeff Owen, NCSU 3. Basics of Soil Structure/Influences on Nutrient Availability - Dr. John Galbraith, VA Tech 4. Practical Application of Soil Survey Information in Selecting Species for Your Farm Matt Carroll, Natural Resources Conservation Service / Claybrooke Farm LLC 5. VA Tech School of Plant and Environmental Sciences - Dr. Michael Evans, Director 6. So You Want to Sell Preserved and Prepared Foods on Your Farm? - Lisa Ramsey, VDACS Regional Food Safety Manager 7. Growing Your Small Business , Sandy Ratliff, Virginia Community Capital

ALPHA NURSERIES: Click on their ad above to open a full-size PDF copy.

Click here to go to their website

2019 November

Order Your Tree Tags TODAY - Limited Supply!

Exclusive New VCTGA Facebook Group for Members Only A new VCTGA membership benefit was introduced at our annual conference in Natural Bridge by Ryan Clouse – a VCTGA Facebook Group!

This is different from a regular Facebook page, in that what you post only goes to other VCTGA Group members. Ask a question, offer tips, new resources, post photos, etc.

Ryan is also setting up a resource clearinghouse page for Extension Publications, PowerPoint presentations from VCTGA meetings, and other information that will help you be a more successful/profitable Christmas tree business.

To Join: 1. Log into your Facebook profile.

2. Enter “Virginia Christmas Tree Growers” in the search box at the top left of the page.

3. Click the Groups tab to see a list of groups related to your search term.

4. As above, click on the name of the group to learn more, or click Join to become a member of the group.

5. You will have to wait for your membership request to be approved.

For additional info or help, contact Ryan Clouse rclouse@mafc.com or Jeff Miller, secretary@VirginiaChristmasTrees.org

Did You Use "It's Christmas! Keep It Real!"?

What do You Think?

Virginia Christmas Tree Growers Association 540-382-7310 Secretary@VirginiaChristmas Trees.org www.VirginiaChristmasTrees. org

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It's Christmas! Keep It Real! - Virginia Grown!