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Corn Some crops we eat.	Tulips Some crops are used to make our homes beautiful.
Cotton Some crops we use to make clothes and other helpful items.	Trees Some crops help us celebrate!

So, what do all of these crops have in common?

• they are all plants
• they need sunlight and oxygen to survive and grow
• they are all grown on farms

LOOK CLOSER AT TREE FARMING!

Some trees, like corn and cotton, are grown on farms. Tree growers do many of the same things other farmers do. But, a tree crop is a bit different than a crop of corn or cotton. Can you think why this might be?

Cotton and corn farmers cultivate their crops in one year (or one growing season). At the end of the season, they harvest their crop. Conifer growers take a long time to cultivate their crops. They plant, fertilize, weed, and harvest their crop.

Tree growers care for their trees for years and years. They harvest some trees each year. They leave some trees in the fields to keep growing. By harvest time, a tree has been in the field for 4 to 10 years!!!

On tree farms, the fields are almost always full. Conifer growers and sellers need to make sure that they have enough trees for sale. To be sure, farmers plant from
1 to 3 new saplings for every tree that they harvest. This keeps the fields green almost all the time!

Because trees stay in the fields for so long, they have 4 to 10 years to be a habitat for small animals and insects. They also make oxygen for all living things.

So the next time you think of products grown on a farm, add one more helpful crop to your list!

cultivate: to grow or take care of a plant or crop ... to help grow crop: cultivated plants or agricultural produce, such as grain, vegetables, or fruit, considered as a group sapling: a young tree Today, 98% (98 of every 100) of the trees grown for the holidays are grown on farms. Is there a REAL TREE farm near you? Perhaps you can visit and take a closer look at how trees are cultivated! Locate a Farm! See if you can find the answers to these questions about Christmas Tree Traditions. The Hunt!