Harvesting of the Christmas Trees

Crews at the Peak Farms in Jefferson, North Carolina, will harvest nearly 65,000 Christmas trees this season. North Carolina has 1,500 Christmas tree growers with nearly 50 million Fraser Fir Christmas trees on over 35,000 acres. The farm also provide a 19-foot Fraser fir to the White House. The Christmas tree will be displayed in the Blue Room throughout the holiday season.


1A section of Christmas trees are seen at Omni Farm in West Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


2Inocencio Hernandez takes a break from cutting down Christmas trees at Omni Farm in West Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


3Julio Hernandez cuts down a Christmas tree at Omni Farm in West Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


4Hernandez and Rosales walk through a section of Christmas trees looking for a marked tree to be cut down at Omni Farm in West Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


5A Christmas tree makes its way through the bailing machine as it is prepared to be shipped, at Omni Farm in West Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


6Workers use a bailing machine to prepare a Christmas tree to be shipped at Omni Farm in West Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


7Pedro Cardenas throws a Christmas tree after it has been bailed in the field prior to being shipped out at Omni Farm in West Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


8Pedro Cardenas throws a Christmas tree after it has been bailed in the field prior to being shipped out at Omni Farm in West Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


9Jose Mendoza works on making a wreath out of scraps of Christmas tree in a shed at Omni Farm in West Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


10Fraser Fir Christmas trees can be seen on a hillside at Omni Farm in West Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


11Abraham Plaza carries a Christmas tree to a tractor trailer to be shipped at Omni Farm in West Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


12Valencia carries a Christmas tree to a tractor trailer to be shipped at Omni Farm in West Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


13Gimlin walks through a field of trees looking for Christmas tree's to be marked for harvest at Omni Farm in West Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


14Hernandez shields his eyes from the sun as he looks for marked Christmas tree's to be cut at Omni Farm in West Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


15A worker uses a chainsaw to make final cuts to a Christmas tree before it is bailed for shipping Omni Farm in West Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


16Plaza and Rosales drag a Christmas tree through a field at Omni Farm in West Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


17Fraser Fir Christmas trees wait to be shipped at Peak Farms in Jefferson, North Carolina. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


18A tag is placed on a tree by second grade students at Peak Farms in Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


19Najera places a Christmas tree onto a conveyor belt that loads carries trees up to a trailer to be shipped at Peak Farms in Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


20Najera carries a Christmas tree to be shipped at Peak Farms in Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


21Cruiz walks past a row of Christmas trees before they are shipped at Peak Farms in Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


22A sign displays the amount of oxygen produced by an acre of Christmas trees outside of the shop at Peak Farms in Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


23Garcia reaches out to grab a tree as it is loaded into a trailer to be shipped to Florida at Peak Farms in Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS


24Garcia carries a Christmas tree to be shipped at Peak Farms in Jefferson. CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS