BY AMELIA MATTHEWS
It’s hard to miss it. It sits on the corner of South and Moody – the Christmas Tree Village- ringing in the festive season. It’s all about the Firs as the aroma of a variety of them fills the air. Raj Patel greets customers ready with all the information on hand. The slew of Firs include Douglas, Nobel, Grand, Turkish and Nordman. Each has its unique characteristics. Patel who is now an expert can lead you to the right one you’re looking for.He has run the Christmas tree lot for the past three years and prior to that he worked with a friend, Amit Sakhrani - who ran a lot in Anaheim hills. Raj calls Amit his‘ angel’ as he not only taught him the ropes of this business but gave him the much needed helping hand at a crisis point in his life.
So Raj is no green horn. He knows his Firs. Talking about the Firs he says the most in demand are the Nobel and the Grand. Nobel have thicker branches and can hold heavier ornaments and they also tend to stay fresh longer. The Grand is a cross between the Douglas and the Nobel and its most distinct characteristic is its fragrance. Raj makes a trip to Springfield, Oregon where he handpicks the Firs he wants from two farms he has zeroed in on. The firs are then transported on a 53 ft refrigerated truck with ice to maintain the freshness of the Firs. Unlike other lots, Raj is proud of the fact that he gets weekly shipments from Oregon to ensure the freshness of the trees.
It’s hard to miss it. It sits on the corner of South and Moody – the Christmas Tree Village- ringing in the festive season. It’s all about the Firs as the aroma of a variety of them fills the air. Raj Patel greets customers ready with all the information on hand. The slew of Firs include Douglas, Nobel, Grand, Turkish and Nordman. Each has its unique characteristics. Patel who is now an expert can lead you to the right one you’re looking for.He has run the Christmas tree lot for the past three years and prior to that he worked with a friend, Amit Sakhrani - who ran a lot in Anaheim hills. Raj calls Amit his‘ angel’ as he not only taught him the ropes of this business but gave him the much needed helping hand at a crisis point in his life.
So Raj is no green horn. He knows his Firs. Talking about the Firs he says the most in demand are the Nobel and the Grand. Nobel have thicker branches and can hold heavier ornaments and they also tend to stay fresh longer. The Grand is a cross between the Douglas and the Nobel and its most distinct characteristic is its fragrance. Raj makes a trip to Springfield, Oregon where he handpicks the Firs he wants from two farms he has zeroed in on. The firs are then transported on a 53 ft refrigerated truck with ice to maintain the freshness of the Firs. Unlike other lots, Raj is proud of the fact that he gets weekly shipments from Oregon to ensure the freshness of the trees.