Eco-Friendly Placerville Tree Farm Sprouts New Trees From Old Stumps

PLACERVILLE (CBS13) - The hunt is on for the best Christmas tree, and one Placerville tree farm is offering up an eco-friendly way to get into the spirit.

It's the sounds and the smells that bring the Lenson family to the McGee Christmas Tree Farm year after year. This year little Brody was tasked with tackling the tree that easily towers over him.

Acres and acres of trees is one of the reasons the family comes here. It's also the eco-friendly growing method used at this tree farm.

"It's definitely a benefit to us. We try to do things like that around our house, and if we can help the environment, just a bonus," said Mark Lenson.

Phyliss and Mike McGee grow trees by stump culturing. They are able to grow another tree on the same stump as the one they cut down. Phyliss says it's more labor intensive, but better than the way trees are grown in a store.

"They do what's called clear cutting on those. They just cut them off at the ground, then they have to come back through and reseed. It takes a lot more water," said Phyllis.

Where there used to be a tree that they cut down, new arms start to grow out. They decided which arm would be the best and prune it. From there, a tree will grow from the stump of the old one.

Each stump takes about three years to grow a tree, and each stump can produce up to four in its life.

The Lenson family says coming here is about more than the gift that keeps on giving, but also about sprouting new memories they hope will last forever.

"We've done this with the kids since they were about 3 or 4 (years old). We come out here and make a tradition, and we hope that they will follow that when they have kids," said DJ Lenson.