Destination Thursday:  Indiana County, Christmas Tree Capital of the World

Drive south on Route 119 and when you cross into the town of Home, Pa. you will see an impressive sign reading “Indiana County – Christmas Tree Capital of the World.” The county is referenced as such in many national print and Web publications and a weekend excursion through the region explains why. Christmas tree farms abound with a generous assortment of balsam fir, Douglas-fir, Fraser fir, noble fir, Scotch pine, Virginia pine, and white pine.

Alysha Trexler, a watershed technician at WPC's Watershed Assistance Center, looks back fondly to 1995 when she was crowned the 32nd Indiana County Queen Evergreen. Back then, as Alysha Schultz, she remembers the fun of traveling throughout the many towns of Indiana County, lighting Christmas trees for various holiday events.

"My role was to explain the importance of Christmas trees as a seven-year crop, with field rotations and scheduled plantings similar to the yearly process of corn planting," Alysha explained. " I gained a personal preference for the Frasier Fur because of its great needle retention and very soft feel.  It's a good tree to have around children too. "

Today's photo was taken last week in Rayne Township, Indiana County, by WPC's Senior Director of Watershed Programs, Nick Pinizzotto.

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