This post could be titled . . .

The Griswold Family goes Christmas tree cutting. This morning we all woke up bright and cheerful with the knowledge that today was Christmas tree day! We headed off early because our house guests wanted to visit Polyface Farm, a local sustainable farm featured in the book Omnivore's Dilemma (a book you may note has been on the "what That Girl is reading" list for several months but really That Girl hasn't gotten past the introduction). So we headed out into the farmland of Virginia to check out this farm.

Polyface Farm was incredibly interesting and I would like to go into more detail here, but suffice it to say that we saw chickens, pigs, chicks, cows and a gorgeous Anatolian Shepherd and bought some eggs and meat.

Our real adventure was the tree. Last year we got a beautiful Frasier Fir at Skylark Tree Farm which is on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We set out from Polyface Farm to Skylark. There was one slight issue: dense fog. The speed limit on the Parkway is 45 mph, we got stuck behind someone going barely 20. When they finally pulled out we made better time, but it was pushing noon and we were all a little grumpy and hungry. I'd brought snacks, but really hadn't planned for a full lunch. Finally we saw the turnoff for Skylark and we turned down the hill and, much to our dismay, a large red sign declared that they were sold out! WHAT?

So back up the Parkway to the Wintergreen turnoff. Back into the mind-numbing fog. Back into the car with four irritated but trying to keep their spirits up adults for the sake of the five year old. We came to a gas station because we all needed to use the restroom and it seemed the best place to ask for the nearest open and not sold out tree farm. As luck would have it, there was one not half a mile down the road.

So back into the car we went and headed down the road. As we pulled in, we all made little half-joking comments about the state of the houses and the fact that we seemed to be in the middle of the movie Deliverance. We finally pulled up to the little farmhouse and the absolutely normal looking guy directed us to the trees and gave us a saw. Big J, in his infinite wisdom, or perhaps it was pessimism, asked the guy if there were other tree farms in the area. Tree guy gave Big J a book but the rest of us were already on our way to the trees.

It took us about 10 minutes to select a tree in the midst of which little j decided she had to go "poo poo." Big J took her in to a secluded spot and when she was done she excitedly told me that a deer had also gone poo poo in the same place.

Big J and little j cut the tree and then Big J and his brother tied it to the top of the Vue and we were off, happy to have a tree and looking forward to being home.