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Holiday Tradition Grows Here

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By RONNIE BLAIR, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 26, 2007

DADE CITY - Jewel Lay opened Lazy Lay Acres Christmas Tree Farm more than 30 years ago, linking him to three decades worth of holiday memories for people from east Pasco County and beyond.

Lay, 73, has accumulated a few memories himself.

Take last year, when a man on a motorcycle showed up at the farm. Lay figured the man would tag a tree and come back later to pick it up, something many customers do.

The motorcyclist saw no reason to delay. He put his tree on the motorcycle and sped away.

On another occasion, a woman insisted on an 11-foot-tall Leyland cypress, despite warnings the towering tree was a poor match for 8-foot-high ceilings.

Her frustrated husband, after ruining the tree while trying to trim it, returned to the farm for one that fit better.

Once a group of school children toured the farm and Lay, in a whimsical mood, put one of the boys through the baler that wraps trees in netting.

Years later, a man visiting the tree farm approached Lay.

"You don't remember me, do you?" the stranger said.

Lay agreed he didn't. The man pointed to the baler. He was that boy, all grown up and with a child of his own.

It's Christmastime again and more memories are happening at the tree farm, which sits at 14920 Swift Road, off St. Joe Road, near Dade City. The farm is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day until Christmas.

Lay grows sand pines, Leyland cypresses and red cedars. Customers can cut down their own trees, though most choose to have a tree farm employee do the honors.

The Florida-grown trees aren't popular with everyone, especially people who grew up in the North and have fixed ideas of how a Christmas tree should look.

So, Lay has northern varieties, such as the popular Fraser fir, shipped in from Michigan and North Carolina. Customers have the option of buying one of those or heading out to the farm to survey what's still in the ground.

Zephyrhills residents Norman and Molly Scheuerman and their daughter, Savannah, 2, opted for a sand pine Sunday afternoon.

Molly Scheuerman said she and her husband began coming to the tree farm about 10 years ago.

After the Scheuermans chose a 7-footer, tree farm employee Bill Urling used a saw to cut it down with the help of Savannah and her 2-year-old cousin, Noah Holt.

Urling, 21, could relate.

His family made annual treks to the tree farm starting when he was 3. About five or six years ago, he began going there during the holidays.

Urling said the tree farm provides a nice outing for families, who can bring their dogs on leashes if they like and let their children visit the farm's petting zoo, which has turkeys, chickens, goats and pigs.

"Most families spend hours out here looking for a tree," Urling said.

Dan and Suzanne Gallagher of Plant City were first timers at the farm this year.

They were in a browsing mood. Suzanne Gallagher said they considered one of the potted trees Lay sells so they could plant it in their yard after Christmas.

They also wanted to explore the home-grown variety.

"We thought the kids might like to cut one down," she said.

Their 6-year-old twin sons, Finney and Yih-Ching, appeared more interested in playing with the goats in the petting zoo. Eventually, their parents coaxed them out among the sand pines, and the hunt was on.

Jewel Lay looked a bit chagrined when asked what kind of tree he will choose for his home.

With the kids all grown, he hasn't put up a tree in years.

"This is my Christmas tree right here," he said, gesturing toward his tree farm. "I've got my Christmas trees every day."

TREE BUYING TIPS

LOOK FOR FRESHEST TREES: Ask where the tree comes from and how long ago it was cut. Look for a retail lot that keeps its trees under cover away from sunlight and, ideally, keeps their trees in water to prevent them from dehydrating.

MAKE SURE TREE IS NOT DRIED OUT: Inspect the trees and look for indicators of dryness or deterioration. Do the trees appear green and healthy or do they have discolored foliage, a musky odor and wrinkled bark? Do they have a fragrance and flexible needles or are they drying and stiff?

CHECK NEEDLES: Tap the tree on the ground or run your fingers down the length of the branch. If you get a rain of needles, the tree most likely will not last long in a house.

MEASURE THE TREE: Make sure the tree will fit into the space you have available. Consider the height of the tree when placed in a stand and whether an ornament will be placed on top. Also consider the space needed when the branches are fully unfolded.

WATER WELL: Get the Christmas tree home and in water as quickly as possible. Plain tap water works well. Cutting an inch disk off the base of the tree before mounting it in its stand will enhance water absorption. Keep the tree's base in water throughout its time in your home. Once the tree's base dries out, you will need to cut another inch off it to ensure proper uptake of water.

Source: University of Florida, IFAS Extension, Hillsborough County

Reporter Ronnie Blair can be reached at (813) 948-4218 or rblair@tampatrib.com.

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