Spruce tips in August

Someone on the homebrew club mailing list wanted to know where
you get spruce tips. I replied:

You find a spruce tree, but it only works in the spring; after that
they mature into spruce twigs.

So you might have to wait until next May, unless you can get a cooperative denizen of the Southern Hemisphere to send you
some in our fall.

I thought it was amusing that anyone would think that something
with as small a market as home brewers of spruce beer would be sold somewhere out
of season.