RALEIGH — The holiday decorations inside the State Capitol reflect an agricultural theme this year.
The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services created several displays on the second floor of the Capitol rotunda. Each display highlights a different aspect of the state’s agricultural industry: Christmas trees, seafood, wine and grapes, and farmers and ranchers.
“As we celebrate with family during this time of year, we should all be thankful for the people who grow and raise the food we enjoy,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “I hope the displays will remind visitors about the importance of agriculture to North Carolina.”
On the main floor of the Capitol, visitors will find two Fraser firs grown by David Cartner of Cartner Tree Farm in Newland. The trees are on display in the rotunda and outside the governor’s office. Cartner was selected to display his trees in the Capitol after winning the N.C. Christmas Tree Association’s annual grower contest. The association’s winner provides trees for the Capitol each year.
This year, the rotunda tree showcases the diversity of agriculture in North Carolina. Decorations representing fruits and vegetables grown in the state adorn the 12-foot tree. The governor’s tree is decorated with dogwood blossoms, the state flower; cardinals, the state bird; and acorns in honor of Raleigh’s nickname, “City of Oaks.”
Christmas tree species from Eastern North Carolina are also on display in the Capitol. Donny Doby of Doby Tree Farm in Cameron provided Leyland cypress, Virginia pine and white pine trees for the first-floor stairwells and second-floor alcoves.
“North Carolina is the second-largest producer of fresh Christmas trees in the nation,” Troxler said. “It’s great that visitors to the Capitol will get to see a variety of species grown across the state.”
North Carolina is also the second-largest producer of poinsettias in the nation, and the Capitol will be overflowing with them, courtesy of the N.C. State University Department of Horticultural Sciences. In addition, fresh wreaths were provided by Dale Hudler of Hudler Tree Farm in West Jefferson. The N.C. Christmas Tree Association provided garland to deck the halls and stairwells.
Visiting the State Capitol during the holidays is a family tradition for many North Carolinians, Troxler said, but few may know about the hard work that growers across the state put into making the building so beautiful.
“The state’s Christmas tree and poinsettia growers spend all year working with their crops to make sure all of our holiday decorations are beautiful, whether it’s at your home or the State Capitol,” he said.