We purchased our 70 acre farm in 2009. The property is located at the intersection of Route 9 and Maple Hill road, Castleton. Having a background in Forestry and a love for farming, trees, and the outdoors, it didn’t take long before we were planting Christmas trees. With a lot of help from family and friends we are now a fully operational tree farm. We began actively selling trees in 2017 and look forward to plenty of trees in the future. We appreciate our customers buying locally grown real trees. There’s nothing like happy faces and the smell of a fresh cut tree!
A. We are currently offering Frasier Fir, Balsam Fir, Douglas Fir, Canaan Fir, White Spruce, and Scotch Pine. We are experimenting with Concolor and Turkish fir.
What’s the difference between Frasier Fir and Balsam Fir?
A. It’s hard to tell the difference between the two, as the Frasier is actually a subspecies of the Balsam. Frasier’s are grown for their hardiness and darker green color but both trees make wonderful Christmas trees and have the most aroma of all the trees sold.
How do you price your trees?
A. The price of a tree depends on its size and species. A general rule of thumb is $7 / ft. We do sell some less than perfect trees (often called Charlie Brown) for $25.
What forms of payment do you accept?
A. Cash and personal check happily accepted!
Do you offer just cut trees or choose and cut your own as well?
A. We offer both “fresh cut” trees out front at our farm stand and “choose and cut” trees out on the grounds of the farm. When you select the perfect tree, we will cut it for you. If you wish to cut your own tree, we may allow that as long as there is an understanding about the liability issues involved. We prefer to do the “choose and cut” during the weekends as we will have ample help to assist you.
Do you bale trees for transport?
A. Yes. We have a tree baler on site and do offer this service to our customers. Wrapping the tree does not work very well for stiff branched trees like Scotch pine, but works great for most trees like Frasier and Balsam fir. It’s usually not needed if you are only traveling a short distance. There may be a nominal fee for this service.
Do you assist with putting the trees on our vehicle?
A. We may offer limited assistance to customers with their trees, but it is ultimately the drivers’ responsibility for securing their trees. We do offer tie down materials but cannot accept any responsibility for scratching a vehicle or what happens when you pull away from our farm stand. During the busy season, we may not be able to help with this, so please bring along some extra muscle to put it on top of your vehicle.
What are some safety tips I should know about when searching for the perfect tree?
A. The tree farm is a very busy place and located on a busy highway. Vehicles moving about are always a concern. As our precut trees are located very close to the highway, parents please watch your children. When walking the grounds for picking out that perfect tree, please understand you are walking in a natural environment. There will be tree stumps, holes, and other ground imperfections to be aware of. There will always be INHERENT RISKS to agricultural tourism activities. If you have further questions about these risks and how it may apply to you, please consult NYS general obligations law Sections 18-303 (f) & (2). And review the posted Inherent risk regulations when visiting our farm.
What is the Tim Mitchel stand straight system?
A. This is a great way of reducing stress over the holidays. The stand comes with a pointed pin in the middle. The tree is predrilled and the tree simply rests on the pointed pin. No getting on your knees or the floor or arguing over if the tree is leaning. We offer these stands for sale but have limited quantities. If you have a pin stand from other years, we will be happy to drill your new tree for you.
When do you start cutting your trees?
A. We begin cutting our trees Thanksgiving week, so you will always have the freshest cut tree you can buy. Some cut trees purchased from box stores can be cut as much as a month earlier and may lose their needles by Christmas.
Will the needles start falling off my fresh cut tree?
A. All trees lose some needles but by purchasing a tree cut Thanksgiving week you should never have a problem with needle retention. The best way to prevent needle drop is always keep the tree watered.
Do you buy trees from other places?
A. No. All trees sold at our 1577 rt 9 farm are grown on our grounds. We appreciate you buying and supporting local agriculture.
How long does it take to grow a tree?
A. Most trees are put in the ground as a 2 year old seedling. It takes from 6-8 years to produce a perfect tree.
Do you shear your trees?
A. Yes. It would be most unusual to find a perfect naturally grown tree.
Will my tree have ticks on it?
A. It is highly unlikely that a tick will be on your tree. Cornell University has studied this and concludes that when people think they have ticks on their tree, it is actually a spider. Bringing in a cold tree to a warm room may sometimes allow these spiders to hatch in your house. They are harmless.
Do you sell live /potted trees?
A. We are not currently selling live trees.
Are dogs welcome?
A. Yes. We love dogs of all kinds but they must be well behaved and kept on a leashed at all times.
