Our Christmas tree from Cal-Wood

We cut down our own Christmas tree yesterday at Cal-Wood Education Center, just outside of Jamestown.   Cal-Wood is a non-profit education center on 1,200 acres about 40 minutes from central Boulder whose primary mission is to introduce school children to the outdoors.    Both Cole and Carson had enjoyed two nights at Cal-Wood with their classmates as 5th graders.  On Friday, I learned from a friend that Cal-Wood hosts an annual Christmas tree fundraiser, raising money for their programs by allowing a small number of families to cut down a tree in return for a donation.  I was fortunate enough to get their last reservation.

We pulled into the remote Cal-Wood property at 10am,  received very basic instructions on where to seek a tree and headed out onto a well traveled trail, with crunching snow underfoot and blue skies above.  After about a mile, we found a tree and, using a saw that we found from the tool room in our house, we cut it down with little trouble.  We then carried it back to our car (not without a little trouble) and enjoyed a warm lunch in the Cal-Wood lodge.  Our tree will not be winning any beauty awards, but it comes with a full day of memories and needles so fresh we may keep it until Easter.