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Eleven days before Christmas, South Farm in Bethlehem is bustling with holiday cheer. The outdoor firepit crackles, carols play from a speaker, and visitors are arriving to pick out their perfect Christmas tree. Nigel Manley, a leader in the Christmas tree industry, is running the show. He fell into the job while working at The Rocks, and now he runs his own farm, planting about 900 trees a year.
Manley is always looking for new and unique species to add to his farm, and a few years ago he came across the Korean fir. These trees have a silvery-blue sheen and a citrusy scent, making them a popular choice among customers. But Manley also noticed that they were more resilient to the changing climate and wetter conditions on his farm. So, he started planting a hybrid version pollinated with Balsam pollen, which has proven to be even hardier and easier to prune.
This hybrid fir has become a third of Manley’s annual planting, and he’s not the only one seeing success with it. Jay Weir, owner of Weir Tree Farms in Colebrook, has also ramped up production of seedlings for this hybrid tree, which he sells to growers across the country. These trees are resistant to root rots and pests, and can grow in a variety of soil types.
While the Korean fir trees have faced challenges in their native South Korea due to climate change, they seem to be thriving in New Hampshire. This hybrid tree is not only a hit with customers, but it also has the potential to help Christmas tree farmers adapt to the changing climate and continue to provide beautiful trees for the holiday season.