Furry friends in Hunlock Creek can snack on your old Christmas tree
HUNLOCK CREEK, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WOYU) — Looking for a way to get rid of your evergreen? Buttinhead Farms in Hunlock Creek is accepting real Christmas trees to feed to their animals.
Firs for farm animals. The four-legged folks up at Buttinhead Farms are enjoying a seasonal treat: Christmas trees.
Buttinhead Farms owner Ashley Raspen says she learned about the repurposing method many years ago.
“Back in the day, an old-time farmer told us to always feed our old Christmas trees to the goats. It’s a natural dewormer. It’s also filled with vitamins,” Raspen said.
Raspen says the trees provide enrichment for all of the animals during a slow season at the farm.
“We’re going through our wintering season,” Raspen continued.
In the warmer months, Buttinhead Farms hosts regular goat and pig yoga sessions at the farm, and beyond.
During the winter, those outdoor events come to a halt. Leaving the animals with more free time on their hooves.
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“It’s slow. Normally these guys see thousands of people and then, all of a sudden, November hits and it’s like a ghost town. So they kind of go through their change just like us humans we kinda go into that seasonal depression around this time,” Raspen continued.
The trees help boost their spirits and keep them busy.
Raspen says there are a few things to check for before you drop off your tree at the farm to make sure it’s safe for the animals.
“Just make sure there’s no tinsel or anything artificial. Sometimes you’ll see Christmas trees that are overly sprayed, they’ll be like a different color. They’ll have this green, blue-ish color, that means it’s been sprayed, so trees like that are like a no-go for us,” said Raspen.
The animals up at Buttinhead will be sure to thank you.
“The donkeys and the chickens, and the pigs, they’ll have a goatin’ great time with them,” said Raspen.
You can drop off your trees any day, any time at Buttinhead Farms for the animals to enjoy.
Those trees can be dropped off near the driveway at the farm and again, only real, non-sprayed trees are accepted.
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