ETNA — Families searched for the perfect Christmas tree Saturday at a Franklin County tree farm that lost part of its crop in a deadly May tornado.
The May 24 EF-4 twister that killed four people in Franklin and nearby Johnson counties also destroyed about 500 of the 3,000 trees at Christmas Tree Lane, ownerJim Lane said. (The Enhanced Fujita Scale of storm severity goes from zero to 5.)
The tornado that blasted across Arkansas 23 in the night cut a path alongside the family-owned tree farm in the Etna community and tore the roof off of the farm store, Lane said.
Seven months later, twisted metal still clings to tree limbs at the farm, and the Lanes are focused on rebuilding the other business on the property that was destroyed: Lane’s Carpet store.
Morgan Howard and his wife, Lynnell Howard, searched for two trees Saturday - a big, tall one for their home, and a smaller one for their son Matt Howard’s home.
The small tree they chose was what Lane calls a “Charlie Brown” tree, the kind offered at a discount becauseit’s damaged or doesn’t look as good as the others - the name referring to the woebegone lead character in the Peanuts comic strip.
Lane, who started the farm 21 years ago, said he doesn’t have the heart to destroy the lesser, smaller ones.
“Some people just have compassionate hearts and want to give a tree a home,” he said.
Jennie Howard, Matt Howard’s wife, was one such person Saturday.
“I thought it would be nice if we took a home a sad, little tree,” she said.
A fire crackled in the fireplace inside the Christmas Tree Lane store Saturday, and customers sipped complimentary hot chocolate.
There’s a picnic table inside the store where people can try to solve puzzles and a rocking chair for sitting and staring at the fire.
Children can say hello to the Lanes’ pet rabbits, Cocoa and Marshmallow, or win a prize for finding a hidden horseshoe outside.
Years ago, Jim Lane and his wife, Karen Lane, decided to open the Christmas tree farm as a way to teach their four children about running a business. They planted their first trees in 1990.
Lincoln Lane, 17, and his brother Landon Lane, 20, have spent many a summer tending to thousands of the trees. The farm features Virginia pine and Leyland cypress varieties, which are said to be better choices for allergy sufferers.
Landon Lane said summers at the farm involve hard work in the sun, but it’s worth it to see the joy people get from picking out trees atChristmas.
Lincoln Lane said it takes about five years of mowing and weeding before a tree grows to about 7 feet.
LeighAnnah Lane, 15, alsoworks at the farm but inside the store.
“I get to stay inside while the boys work,” she said.
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Northwest Arkansas, Pages 13 on 12/11/2011