Doug Downs, a Keene Valley fire rescue chief and Christmas tree farmer, prepares to saw into the base of a Fraser Fir tree. Downs slices the bottom of trees before they go to their future homes so they’ll absorb water better. The Christmas trees are for sale on Mill Pond Road in Lake Placid, seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., to benefit the Lake Placid Volunteer Ambulance Service. Downs said each tree takes around eight to 10 years to grow to Christmas size. (Enterprise photo — Lauren Yates)