DELAWARE- Now that the holidays are wrapping up, consider recycling your real Christmas tree with these several creative solutions.
The Little Farm that travels as a petting zoo, treats its goats and cows to their usual diet of straw and hay, but this time of year Christmas trees are added to the mix. Patricia Hawryluk accepts donations of leftover Christmas trees from people, providing a unique feast for her live stock.
Hawryluk says, "First of all, they have a lot of nutrients, believe it or not. Vitamin C is one of the biggest nutrients that they can get from it. But tons of trace minerals and micronutrients that are good for them."
While farmers at Goat Joy concur that Christmas trees can make for a tasty snack, they urge caution. Laura Ritter says, "A lot of commercial trees will spray them with pesticides. Some even go as far as flame retardants and colorants, and you have no way of knowing which ones have been treated and which ones haven't."
According to Ritter, while pumpkins are similarly used as a seasonal treat for farm animals, Christmas trees are not held to the same consumption regulations as the produce.
Nevertheless, Hawryluk believes that what might be annoying loose needles in a home become an engaging stimulant for the animals.
"It keeps them busy. The goats love to eat the pine needles and the bark, but the chickens love to play in the needles and peck at them." said Hawryluk.
Ritter suggests alternatives to disposing of Christmas trees besides turning them into animal snacks,
"You can use them for mulch in your yard, or you can have a nice little cozy campfire to roast marshmallows with."
Whether repurposed as animal enrichment or mulch for gardens, returning Christmas trees to the earth offers a win-win solution for everyone involved.
If you plan to bring your Christmas tree to a local farm, farmers request that you ensure there are no remaining ornaments or tinsel left on the tree when it's dropped off.