Jose Cruiz walks past a row of Christmas trees ready to be shipped at Peak Farms in Jefferson, N.C., Nov. 17, 2012. Crews at Peak Farms will harvest nearly 65,000 Christmas trees this season. (CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS)
Doniel Garcia reaches out to grab a tree as it is loaded into a trailer to be shipped to Florida at Peak Farms. North Carolina has 1,500 Christmas tree growers with nearly 50 million Fraser fir Christmas trees on more than 14,000 hectares. (CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS)
A sign outside the shop at Peak Farms. (CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS)
Moses Najera, right, places a Christmas tree onto a conveyor belt to load the trees onto a trailer before shipping. (CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS)
Second graders posted tags on some of the trees asking the recipients to send a post card so the class can map the trees' destinations. (CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS)
Abraham Plaza, left, and Eduardo Rosales drag a Christmas tree through a field at the Omni Farm in West Jefferson, N.C., Nov. 17, 2012. Crews at Omni will harvest nearly 20,000 Christmas trees this season. (CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS)
Felix Valencia carries a Christmas tree to a tractor trailer for shipping at Omni. (CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS)
Jose Mendoza makes a wreath out of Christmas tree scraps in a shed at Omni. (CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS)
Fraser fir Christmas trees carpet an idyllic countryside at the Omni Farm in West Jefferson, N.C. (CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS)
Workers use a bailing machine to prepare a Christmas tree for shipping at Omni. (CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS)
Pedro Cardenas throws a bailed Christmas tree onto a trailer prior to shipping. (CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS)
Inocencio Hernandez takes a break from cutting down Christmas trees at the Omni Farm. (CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS)
Beau Estes uses a fork lift to transport the White House Christmas tree after it was cut down at Peak Farms in Jefferson, N.C., Nov. 17, 2012. (CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS)
The White House Christmas tree is loaded into the back of a tractor trailer at Peak Farms. The 5.6-metre Fraser fir, which was planted from a seed in 1990, will be displayed in the Blue Room at the White House. (CHRIS KEANE/REUTERS)
to get it and come back to see the ad in front of this gallery.
