Somerset County farm collects Christmas trees for goats

SOMERSET COUNTY, Pa. (WJAC) — At a farm in Somerset County, one person's Christmas trash is another goat's Christmas treasure.

That's what Paula Eppley-Newman, Chairperson at Trinity Farms Center for Healing in Boswell, says about each holiday season.

"We decided at Christmastime to say, 'Hey, if you have a live Christmas tree, and it's not been sprayed with pesticides or anything, bring it on out. Maybe our goats can eat it,'" she said.

The farm collects hundreds of old Christmas trees each year, giving their herd of goats something to snack on.

"Everybody thinks when Christmas is over, you need to get rid of your tree and then it's over, but it's not. It's better than taking them to a landfill. It's just that cycle of life," Paula said.

She says the pine provides good nutrition for the animals as a natural dewormer, and that it even helps the environment, too.

"Once they eat the pine needles all off it, they're not interested in it anymore. So, we load them up and take them out into the woods for habitats for animals," she said.

Trinity Farms Center for Healing also works with people in recovery and kids with special needs, or anyone who just wants to hang out with the animals.

People can drop your tree off by their fence or message the farm on Facebook to set up a time to come down.

"We're building a community for people. Not a program where there's a beginning and an end. This is just never ending."

ncG1vNJzZmivmpawtcKNnKamZ56axLR7y6iamqRfmLWztdKtpJqrXam%2For%2FHZquuqp6asW7A0Z6YrK2imnq0u8yeqaydpGKwsMHNrbBmnpGnum6vzqWjnpukqHqktNGiqq2lkah6tb7Enqpmnp%2Bneqi7wK2q