I was delighted by Meghan's Christmas Tree facts. Christmas tree farms across the United States play a key role in a diversified agricultural economy.

While I reflect on 2007, it is this same diversity in United State Agriculture that makes me think about my own operation. I am proud to say that this is the second season that I have been selling Christmas trees at my nursery. By bringing in trees direct from the grower, I have turned a traditionally slow period of the year for nursery stock into a busy one.

Sure, while poinsettias and cyclamen are popular, Christmas trees have added diversity and growth in our annual gross income. Farmers and ranchers need to entertain the idea of diversifying their operations. Whether it be "grower direct" gift baskets or a new crop for the coming year, ingenuity will keep United States farmers ahead of what continues to be a global marketplace for our products.