A farmer collected trees to use as livestock feed
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
A farmer from Hampshire, P.E.I. has found a unique way to help families discard their Christmas trees.
Flory Sanderson, owner of Island Hill Farm, collects the discarded trees for use on the farm.
“We use them to feed the goats,” Sanderson told Farms.com. “The trees aren’t the full diet, it’s more of a treat. But if you had wild goats they’d be eating the pine needles anyway.
“We’ve also put some in the barns and pens to help keep the animals a little bit warmer in the winter.”
Pine needles can be beneficial for goat health as they contain Vitamin C and can help control worms, she said.
Sanderson started the tree recycling program about five years ago. She received about 10 trees during her first year but the number of trees increased to about 140 last year.
“Families usually just put the tree at the end of the curb and wait for it to be picked up,” she said. “When they drop the tree off at the farm, they know that it’s going to be put to good use. The community has really embraced what we’re doing.”
The tree recycling program also helps bring people out to the farm, she said.
“We had about 80 people visit yesterday,” she said. “It’s great for new visitors who maybe haven’t been to a farm before because they get to experience everything in a hands-on way.”
Anyone interested in donating a tree should make sure all the ornaments have been removed and that the tree hasn’t been treated with dyes or chemicals.
Island Hill Farm will accept trees year-round.
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