Interview with Tommy Beutell, April 26, 2000

Interview with Tommy Beutell, April 26, 2000

Agriculture

Beutell, Thomas C., 1934-

Buckhead (Atlanta, Ga.)

Christmas tree growing

Christmas tree industry

Christmas tree industry -- Forecasting

Roan Mountain (N.C. and Tenn.)

Tree farmers -- North Carolina -- Jackson County

In this interview, conducted as part of the "Agriculture (Past, Present, Future)" project by the Mountain Heritage Center at Western Carolina University, Tommy Beutell of Tuckasegee discusses his life in the Christmas tree industry. Beutell was born in Buckhead, Georgia, in 1934, and has been in the industry since 1946, when he worked with his brother and brother-in-law. He settled in Jackson County, North Carolina, in late 1950s, though he had been leasing land and planting trees in North Carolina since 1954. Beutell discusses the history of the industry and its roots as a cottage industry in Avery and Mitchell Counties before retailers began to develop an interest in specialized Christmas tree farming. There was no interest from the farming community, and he describes how the United States Forest Service was able to act as a catalyst for the Christmas tree industry by opening land on Roan Mountain for the industry. He discusses the environmental requirements for growing trees and the importance not abusing the land.

Beutell, Thomas C., 1934-

WCU Mountain Heritage Center Oral Histories

Hunter Library Digital Collections, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC 28723

1940s; 1950s; 1960s; 1970s; 1980s; 1990s; 2000s (Decade);

2000-04-26

Lower, Emily

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/

audio/mp3; application/pdf;

sound recordings

transcripts

interviews

eng

Sound

Text

35642

https://southernappalachiandigitalcollections.org/object/35642

2015-05-22

All rights reserved. For permissions, contact Hunter Library Digital Collections, Western Carolina U, Cullowhee, NC 28723;

Avery County (N.C.)

Jackson County (N.C.)

Mitchell County (N.C.)

North Carolina, Western

01:06:47 (sound recording)(duration)

14 pages (transcript)(duration)

Oral Histories of Western North Carolina