An alternative to the landfill: Why Lowcountry farms want your Christmas trees

RIDGEVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - With the holiday season coming to a close, you may be thinking about taking down your Christmas tree soon.

Some local farms are offering an alternative to taking it to a landfill or leaving it on your curb.

Several farms across the Lowcountry are asking people to drop off their Christmas trees for their animals.

Lacey Hill-Hiers from Just a ‘Lil Bit Farms and Nicki Peardon from Family Farm 251 both said Christmas trees benefit all animals. Pigs and Goats eat the trees, and chickens can use them for shelter and eat the tree needles.

They said animals always enjoy the greenery, and during these cold winter months, farms can use Christmas trees to supplement some green.

“It helps us out. Instead of us having to go buy hay and straw and everything to give them. If you can donate and support your local farm that’s great. Because that’s what we want to do. Our main goal was to support our family, but then also support the community,” Peardon said.

They said they are asking for any tree without frosting, ornaments, tinsel, light wires or any other harmful materials.

But, Hill-Hiers said the giving doesn’t have to stop there.

“It doesn’t have to be just a Christmas thing. It’s a Thanksgiving thing, it’s a Halloween thing. Anytime you’ve got any kind of fall decorations. A lot of things where people think ‘well I don’t know what I could use this for’ they just throw it away. No, check with a local farm. Because I guarantee you there’s something a local farm could use it for,” Hill-Hiers said.

Both Peardon and Hill-Hiers said their main goal is to encourage people to check with their local farms before taking their trees to a landfill or the curb.

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