Please join us for annual maintenance on our living shoreline project at Slade Dale Sanctuary in Point Pleasant, NJ.
We will be adding recycled Christmas trees collected over the winter to the branchbox breakwaters in Beaverdam Creek. Some of this work will require volunteers to be in the water, so bring waders or a wetsuit if you have them. We will be able to provide a limited amount of waders. However, there will also be tasks that don’t require you to be in the water if you are not comfortable or able.
Sunday, April 26
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Slade Dale Sanctuary
Street parking is available along Sea Point Drive (GPS: 2343 Sea Point Drive, Point Pleasant, NJ).
- Mulch and Soil Enrichment: Shred the tree into woodchips for garden beds. Pine needles decompose slowly and are excellent for acid-loving plants like blueberries and azaleas.
- Perennial Insulation: Cut off large boughs and lay them over perennial beds to protect them from frost and snow during winter.
- Plant Supports: Use smaller branches as stakes for indoor plants or seedlings. Larger trunks can serve as bean poles or frames for climbing plants like sweet peas.
- Garden Edging: Cut the trunk into 2-inch discs to create natural edging for flower beds or walkways.
- Bird Sanctuary: Place the tree in its stand outdoors and hang bird-friendly treats like suet or peanut butter-coated pinecones to provide food and shelter.
- Fish Habitat: If you have a private pond, sink the tree to provide a breeding and hiding ground for fish.
- Animal Feed: Contact local farms; some animals, particularly goats, enjoy snacking on Christmas tree branches.
- Coasters and Trivets: Slice the trunk into thin rounds, sand them, and seal them with polyurethane to make rustic coasters.
- Fragrant Sachets: Strip the pine needles once they dry and place them in mesh bags or bowls for a natural air freshener.
- Outdoor Firewood: Saw the trunk into logs for an outdoor fire pit. Avoid burning pine in indoor fireplaces as the sap can cause dangerous creosote buildup.
- Local Curbside Pickup: Many municipalities offer “tree-cycling” programs in early January where they chip trees for public park mulch.
- Coastal Protection: Some regions use recycled trees to stabilize sand dunes and prevent beach erosion.
- Artificial Trees: If you have an artificial tree, consider donating it to a charity shop if it is in good condition, as these cannot be traditionally recycled.
1. Measure Your Space
Before you head to your local tree farm, measure the ceiling height where you plan to set up the tree, subtracting the amount of room your star or topper will account for. Similarly, measure the width to ensure the tree doesn’t encroach too much on furniture or traffic flow.
2. Choose the Right Tree
While the options can be overwhelming once you’re among the field of available trees, consider what shape would fit best in your space: Do you want a fuller or slimmer tree to fit a tighter space? Is a uniform shape without large gaps in the needles important or do you need stronger branches better equipped for handling heavier ornaments? Don’t forget to also consider trunk size – and consider bringing your stand with you to ensure your preferred tree fits – as trees with short or crooked trunks may be unstable.
3. Inspect for Freshness and Quality
To ensure a safe, long-lasting, beautiful tree throughout the holidays, look at it from all angles and inspect the needles and branches. Needles should be green, not dry or brittle, and firmly attached to the branches, which should be flexible and not snap easily. If you run your hand through the branches and they break or needles fall off, it may be wise to look at other trees. Remember, if your tree has been cut too early, it may sit too long and dry out before Christmas arrives, so try and buy your tree as close to setup time as possible.
4. Set Up with Care
Before placing your tree in the stand, make a fresh cut about 1 inch from the base of the trunk to open the pores for water absorption. Place it away from heat sources – vents, fireplaces, direct sunlight – as they will dry it out faster. Remember to water daily (or at least check it daily), keeping the water level above the base of the trunk.
5. Plan for Disposal
Once your tree has dried out – branches may be brittle and lots of needles may have fallen off – it’s time to remove it. Remove all decorations then check to see if your city offers tree recycling or chipping service. Many offer these services for free for a limited time after the holidays but may require you to drop the tree off or cut it into smaller pieces for pick up.
Find more seasonal advice to make the holidays safe and festive at eLivingtoday.com.
(Family Features) Photo courtesy of Shutterstock #17710
Source: eLivingtoday.com
]]>
- Location: 1923 Baileys Corner Rd, Wall Township, NJ 07719
- Highlights: This non-profit farm hosts a “Christmas on the Farm” event featuring Christmas lights, hayrides, and a chance to see rescued animals. Visitors can take pictures with Santa, enjoy warm cocoa and cookies (for purchase), and participate in activities like feeding the animals.
Note: Free admission, but donations are appreciated. Check their website or social media for specific hours as they are generally open Friday through Sunday evenings during the season.
- Location: 114 Daum Rd, Manalapan Township, NJ 07726
- Highlights: A full Christmas destination offering both cut-your-own and pre-cut trees. A major attraction is “The Village at Anne Ellen,” an immersive walkthrough experience with thousands of lights, interactive displays (like a Candy Cane Factory), and a life-size gingerbread house. The experience includes a tractor-drawn hayride, opportunities for photos with Santa, and a gift shop. Hot cider and hot chocolate are available.
Note: Tickets for “The Village” must be purchased online in advance.
- Location: 108 Rues Rd, Cream Ridge, NJ 08514
- Highlights: Known for its large-scale flower festivals, in December the farm transforms with “Winter Wonderland,” a unique holiday light show featuring millions of lights and various displays across the fields. The farm includes food trucks, vendors, and farm animals to see.
- Note: The primary Christmas activity is the light show experience.
Cover photo- Allaire Community Farm
Trees can be dropped off by anyone at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (708 NJ-88, Point Pleasant, NJ), in the field behind the parking lot (the location will be marked). Point Pleasant borough residents can leave their trees curbside for normal Dept. of Public Works pickup. Be sure to remove all ornaments, tinsel and lights before discarding the tree.For more information, contact Zack Royle at the American Littoral Society, [email protected].
In the spring, trees that have been collected will be put into into branchbox breakwaters, which are wooden structures set in Beaverdam Creek, that are designed to control erosion by using trees and brush to slow currents and waves, as well as capture the sediment being carried in the water. The breakwaters to help reduce wave energy which can erode the shoreline and allow the salt marsh at the sanctuary to build back up.
The shoreline at Slade Dale Sanctuary has eroded approximately 600 feet since 1930. The sanctuary’s pine-oak forest, hardwood swamp, and salt marsh provide a space of protected wilderness, providing nursery habitat for fish, and foraging habitat for ospreys, egrets, and bald eagles, among other species.
Because they are designed as a natural solution, the trees in the breakwaters must be replaced periodically. The goal is to create a wider marsh and limit the reach of saltwater that has been affecting nearby trees. Besides providing more space for animals to live and feed, the marsh will also help protect neighboring communities.
Replanting a Christmas tree requires some planning, but if you are willing to plan ahead, you can enjoy your lovely Christmas tree for years to come!
How to Plant Your Christmas Tree:
Before you even buy the Christmas tree you will be replanting, you might want to consider digging the hole that you will be planting the Christmas tree in. Chances are the ground will not yet be frozen at that time but may be frozen after Christmas. Having a hole ready will help the chances that your tree will survive.
Purchase a live Christmas tree that has the root ball still intact. Typically, the root ball will come covered by a piece of burlap. Once a tree is cut from the root ball, it can no longer be planted outside, so make sure that the trunk and the root ball of the Christmas tree remain undamaged. Consider buying a smaller tree as well. A smaller tree will go through the transition from outdoors to indoors to outdoors again.
Understand that you will not be able to enjoy the tree indoors as long as you would a cut tree. This is because indoor conditions can put a live Christmas tree at risk. Expect that your Christmas tree will only be able to be in the house for 1 to 1 ½ weeks.
Keep your live Christmas tree in a draft-free location away from heaters and vents. Wrap the root ball in plastic or wet sphagnum moss. The root ball must stay damp the entire time the tree is in the house.
Once Christmas is over, move the Christmas tree you intend to replant outside. Place the tree into the cold, sheltered area for a week or two so that the tree can re-enter dormancy if it has started to come out of dormancy while it was in the house.
Now you are ready to replant your Christmas tree. Remove the burlap and any other coverings on the root ball. Place the Christmas tree in the hole and backfill the hole. Then cover the hole with several inches (5 to 10 cm.) of mulch and water the tree. You do not need to fertilize at this time. Fertilize the tree in the spring.
Read more at Gardening Know How: How To Plant Your Christmas Tree In Your Yard https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/christmas-trees/plant-your-christmas-tree.htm
]]>
So, “how do I choose a Christmas tree?” you wonder.
Choosing Christmas Trees
As you begin your journey to find the best Christmas tree, you need to consider the space where the tree will be in your home. The best Christmas tree for that corner in your family room will not be the same as the tree you need for the spacious and rarely used formal living room. Note whether people will see the tree from all sides to decide how lush the tree needs to be.
Measure the space where you will have the tree. Get out your stand to measure its distance from the ground. Also, measure the distance across the space to make sure you don’t get a tree that is too large for the area. At most Christmas tree farms, you will be paying based on the height of the tree, so skipping this step can cost you more money. Once you have assessed the space, you are ready to head out to the Christmas tree farm to find the best Christmas tree for your needs.
In addition, don’t forget to consider whether you will be planting your Christmas tree after the holiday season is over. This is becoming a popular choice nowadays.
Tips for Picking Out a Christmas Tree
When you arrive at the Christmas tree farm or lot for picking out a Christmas tree, take your time. In choosing Christmas trees for the home, look at several trees instead of jumping at the first one you see. The key to picking out a Christmas tree is making sure it is healthy. Some trees may be cut weeks before being sold, and you want to avoid that problem, as caring for these will be more difficult.
Run your hands along the branches of the trees you are considering. If needles come off, then you need to move on. The tree is not going to be healthy enough to survive unless you are shopping one or two days before Christmas. You also should shake the branches a little or even pick the tree up six inches or so and plop it back down. Doing so can help you get a good, strong tree that will survive the holiday season.
Different lots and farms carry a variety of trees, ranging from Frasier firs to Monterey pines. Choose based on looks when you are first picking out a Christmas tree. When you find a tree you really enjoy once it is in your home, write down the size and height of the tree. Then next year if you are again wondering “how do I pick out a Christmas tree,” you can refer to the note you made.
The Best Christmas Tree
Using these guidelines for how to pick a Christmas tree, you can work hard to find the best Christmas tree for your family. Just remember to have fun and that in the end, the joy is in the experience of choosing the Christmas tree with your family.
This year’s event will boast live music and dance performances, horse and carriage rides around the park, photos with Santa, Princess Elsa and Anna as well as hot cocoa and cookies for all! Entertainment by The Wag, Olivia Youngman, Robin McGill School of Dance of Avon and The Dancers Workshop of Wall.
Bradley Beach Tourism will also be collecting new pairs of socks for a Sock Drive to benefit the Jersey Shore Rescue Mission. Please bring a pair of new socks to toss in the Box-o-Sox in Riley Park.
“Growing up in Bradley Beach, I went to every tree lighting in town where the feeling of warmth and community was always brighter than the tree. When we all come together to celebrate the spirit of the season, it is the epitome of small-town charm and one we love to share with others,” Tourism Director Amy Hall says.
For more information please visit: www.bradleybeachnj.gov/events
]]>
By Muriel J. Smith ~
“Oh, come on,” said Sandy Starfish, “everybody’s doing it. Why can’t we?”
“It’s simple,” said Charlie Carp, “we’re fish. And we live under the water.” “But it sounds like so much fun!” Sandy continued. “I hear all the kids on the water’s edge talking about it all the time at this time of year. It would be something different for all of us to enjoy if we could just do it here.”
“What is it that you’re talking about,” asked Tommy Tuna as he swam by, “what would be so much fun?” “A Christmas tree,” said Sandy happily, “a Christmas tree under the water. Filled with all kinds of pretty ornaments and bright lights. Just for a few days around Christmas.” “Well, I think I have to agreed with Charlie’s “Tommy said, “It might be a nice idea, but really, Sandy…a tree under the water?”
“We could do it, Sandy persisted, “we could do it if we really tried. Why don’t we at least try?”
Several schools of fish were swimming by and joined in the discussions. Most of them agreed with Charlie and Tommy. It just couldn’t be done.
Frank Fluke was the only exception. “I’ll bet we could do something, Sandy,” he volunteered, “you always like a challenge and besides, you’re right, this does sound like a lot of fun. If you start it, I’ll help.”
“So, will we,” said Pete and Patty Porgy, “you lead the way and we’ll call in cousins and friends from the seven seas to help. It would be nice if we all got together anyway.”
“Now you’re really being silly,” Said Milly Manatee, “you’re up here in the Atlantic Ocean where it gets really cold in winter; there are those of us who can’t take the cold and need to stay in warmer waters. As it is, I’m overstaying my visit here and have to leave immediately.”
Sandy wasn’t deterred by any of the negative comments about her idea. “I just know it will work,” she said, “because it’s for Christmas. And the Christ Child will create the miracle that will make it all possible, since all we want to do is celebrate His birthday. I know it will work,” she insisted. And she swam off, looking for others to share her ideas.
Sandy spent the next few days sending messages with all the fish who were heading to warmer waters for the cold months. .” Spread the word wherever you go,” she told them, “and tell them not to worry about the temperature. I just know it will be ok.”
It wasn’t long before Sandy was getting messages from all over the world. Many of the South American fish wanted to be here, some angel fish said they’d be there, the Tetra family…the Neons, the Cardinals the Emperors, even the Glowlights…said they would all provide the lights for the tree. The red swordtails said there were talking with the Butterfly Loach family and they thought their pretty golden color would be a nice addition. Mr. Timothy Tiger Barb said he would be part of the tree and he had contacted the Rainbows.” they all have such funny names, “he said, “but they want to be part of our tree.”
Sandy was getting happier by the day. Her dreams were going to come true. Members of the Fish Family were coming from all over the world and they should have a wonderful Christmas.
“What will we do for ornaments,” Annie Angel asked. “Well,” Sandy explained, “we fish are all so many beautiful shapes and colors. We could create our own decorated tree just by all of us being on it.
“What will we do for a tree? “asked Milly Mandarin, “I like your idea about the ornaments. I think the Puffers and the Butterflies will make beautiful ornaments.”
“Sally Sea Horse told me about this wonderful Florida seagrass,” Sandy said, “I think that would look delicate and beautiful. We just have to watch the manatees, “she giggled “they like to eat it:”
“Thad’s good!” said Bobby Boxfish. “then once Christmas is over and all the fish swim home, the manatees can have a feast of their own before heading back! I like it!”
“With the cool temperatures the only concern, Sandy set about calling in some more fish from both warm and cold waters to be part of the celebration. “This will be the best Christmas ever!” she laughed.
As it Christmas grew closer, Sandy still didn’t have an answer to the temperature problem. Until one day, Grandpa Angelfish, well known for his great wisdom, came over to her and said, “You know, you believe in miracles. And it is Christmas. I think the warmth of all of us together and the joy we would be spreading throughout the sea, the happiness we will bring to the schools of fish who just stop to visit…I think that will make the water warm enough, so all the fish will be comfortable.”
“You’re an angel!” said Sandy, clapping her fins, “you’re the smartest angel fish in the kingdom!”
With everyone having faith in Grandpa Angelfish’s predictions, plans got bigger and better and more fish from all over sent word they would be there. The Sea Horse family said they would all perch on the sea grass as ornaments; the Puffers were delighted to be included, the Butterflies said they
would bring all their very colorful cousins and all would be the decorations. The Tetras said they would provide the lights with a variety of brilliant colors; the Torpedo Bars, the Red Swordtails, the Tiger Bars, they all said they could add their own colors to make it a beautiful tree. The Clown Plecos, a most friendly fish, said their stripes would go nicely with the golden colors of the gentle Butterfly Loaches.
When the day finally arrived, and all the fish had gathered, Grandpa Angelfish whispered to the Puffers, who passed it on to the Tetras, who passed it on to the Manatees, who told the Boxfish and, so it went until everyone knew the idea Grandpa had.
Just as the stroke of midnight, everyone gathered abound Sandy and the tree and each admired the color and beauty each species was bringing to the entire picture. “Oh, look!” said Sandy, just a little dismayed, “with all our planning we never thought of something for the top of the tree. And look at it, it’s empty!”
Not so, a chorus of Clown fish cried out. Then suddenly, a school of fish gathered around Sandy, and with a might shout, picked her up and tossed her to the very top.
“You’re the one that though of all this,” Grandpa Angelfish said, “you’re the one who brought us all together and who had the faith to know that a miracle would happen. Just as the Star of Bethlehem led believers to the Christ Child, you, Sandy Starfish, led all of us to be happy together, to appreciate each other’s differences, to show how when we all work together we can shine new light on the world. It’s only right that you should be the decoration at the top of our Christmas tree.”