UXBRIDGE, Mass. — The Baker-Polito administration has declared Friday, Nov. 27, as "Green Friday" to encourage people across the commonwealth to visit their local farms and nurseries for Christmas trees, holiday plants, and holiday decorating needs.

 

To celebrate, state Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner John Lebeaux participated in a Christmas tree-cutting ceremony at Arrowhead Acres in Uxbridge. In an effort to support the commonwealth's Christmas tree industry, the declaration of Green Friday encourages people throughout the state to visit their local Christmas tree farms to purchase their trees, holiday plants, ornamental swags, and wreaths to fulfill their holiday decorating needs.

 

"Our administration believes in the importance of supporting our farms by shopping locally and purchasing holiday decorations from one of the commonwealth's many family-operated Christmas tree farms," said Gov. Charlie Baker. "Now more than ever, it is a great time to spend quality time with your family while partaking in this outdoor activity which allows for proper social distancing."

 

Christmas tree season in Massachusetts provides hundreds of seasonal jobs at approximately 264 Christmas tree farms on approximately 2,801 acres of land from Cape Cod to the Berkshires. The sale of more than 82,524 state-grown Christmas trees contributes approximately $3.5 million to the commonwealth's economy each year. Christmas tree farms, which are often sited on soils that cannot support other crops, stabilize soil, which helps prevent erosion and protect water supplies. When chipped, the trees can be used as a renewable source of energy to be burned as fuel, used as mulch, or composted.

 

"Nothing gets you in the holiday spirit more than the natural beauty of fresh, full, fragrant MassGrown Christmas trees and other live holiday decor," said Lebeaux. "We look forward to another successful season for this sector of Massachusetts' agricultural industry."

 

Arrowhead Acres has been selling trees to the community since 1995.

 

"We have more gorgeous trees this year than we have had in the past 10 years and all looking for homes," said Dave Morin, owner of Arrowhead Acres. "We ... enjoy offering the public a family experience, as well as hot chocolate, cider and snacks."

 

Find out where to buy your local Christmas trees and other holiday decorations here.