Husband's Wild idea....Is Your Christmas Tree Real or Fake?

I think people would like that. The corn mazes are so popular now, a little different but an experience. Besides, real trees are actually better for the environment than the fake plastic trees. The trees are renewable, break down and while they are growing provide oxygen.

When we were first married we had a real tree but when we realized we could get a fake tree for the cost of a real tree we bought a fake one.

Sweet! Nothing beats the smell of "real" Christmas trees. Yes, we get a real tree each year. Plus, with LED lights, I think you have a case - far less of a fire hazard concern. Good luck!

Missouri has quite a few tree farms....but they are ALL side jobs & not full-time careers. Your selling season is just a few short weeks....

when you do your research, please take into account the upswing of allergies/asthma & how it affects sales of fresh-cut trees. This is my 1st time in my 49 years to not have a fresh tree....& it broke my heart. But the stupid (I hate it) fake tree meant that I didn't have to wear a mask, didn't end up with swollen tonsils, & I didn't have to break out my inhaler. Boohoo over.....

As for experiences, model it on a pumpkin patch & you'll be golden. :)

I think a lot of families like to go out and look for the perfect tree. Dad's love to oil their chainsaws.
If you build it, they will come. Especially if you turn it into an "experience" as you say.

There are websites that let you find a cut your own tree farm. You could contact the farmers and talk to them. As long as you were not near them, I believe they would be helpful.

Our local farm trucked in precut trees to meet demand. They knew they would sell out of theirs and they only add $5 to their cost. They do an experience similar to pumpkin maizes. You take a hayride, shop in the store, build a snowman, dress a fake snowman, plant a tree, see what trees are made into, etc... They are trying to break even and stay in business until the recession ends.

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Real, always real trees. I grew up in the midwest, and we always cut our own when I was a kid. Now I'm grown and married, and we just go pick one out that's already cut. But when we have kids, we would love to take them to a Christmas tree farm and get the whole "experience."

Our tree is fake, but we have been to the farms where they offer a whole experience - petting zoo, hay maze, hot chocolate, gift shop, etc. It's a fun thing to do with the kids.

Go for it, We have fake only bc our dog would probably piss on it if it smelled like the trees outside. LOL. he also like to use our pine trees as a back scratcher hes a moose lol.

Christmas tree farms are much like pumpkin patches around here. They usually have hot chocolate and food sales on weekends, little family events, photo ops for kids, gift shop, a visit with Santa, train rides and such like that for the whole 'experience'. Then during the off season, they offer pumpkins with similar things for fall, petting zoos, birthday parties, hay rides....

here are a few around here and what they offer:
http://www.oldtimechristmastree.com
http://www.TheHolidayAcres.com
http://www.dewberryfarm.com

I think any business venture can work if it is well executed and with lots of hard work and research. Good luck!

Always real - I'd rather go without tree than get a fake (no offense).

Anyways all the tree suppliers here are farms (I mean full on farming) or nurseries - they do the christmas tree thing for extra income in the winter. I don't think that it actually makes enough money to support a family for an entire year (unless you where to go LARGE scale, like selling your trees at Walmart large).

You also have to remember that as with any farming your income will be subject to market fluctuations and nature...if there is a drought, a fire or a storm you could loose everything in the blink of an eye... just something to consider.

Whatever you do, good luck!

We have cut a real tree down for the past three years. We LOVE doing this and the farm is right down the street from us and is owned by a family. I'm not sure if they do anything else during the year but their farm is not huge so they could do it as a side job. I know of several tree farms locally where people cut down their own or have someone cut it down for them.

Are you taking over a tree farm or starting from scratch? Be sure to start it a few years before you quit your 'day jobs' since they take awhile to grow.

I heard of a tree farm (or farms) in California that actually sell potted Christmas trees. They will deliver them or have you pick them up and then ask that you return them or they pick them up after Christmas so they can replant them. I love this idea!!! You can also 'choose' your tree and keep it year to year. Not sure exactly how they do this money-wise but I think it would be cool to have the tree 'grow' along with my kids!

Good luck - I think if you did that and maybe coupled it with some other ideas (not sure what else but maybe crafts, flowers, plants, etc) it could definitely be a year round thing.

We go to a place every year. We tag our tree right after thanksgiving and then go back in Dec. They do free christmas cookies and hot chocolate and have a horse and wagon that takes you out to your tree then they cut it down for you, clean it, wrap it and load it. I used to do it as a kid as well and i remember being a teenager and crying because my mom "ruined" christmas the first year she got a fake tree.

I would love if we could cut our own, but they don't allow that for some reason. I would also like if they did smaller potted trees that we could replant after Christmas.

There are tons of "cut your own" tree farms around here! It's very popular! We used to always do it, but now we usually get a Frasier Fir (and they only grow north of here so they're pre-cut). You can go either route or do both -farm trees to sell to retail outlets and tree lots or offer "cut your own." Many farms around here add in fun things like bake sales, bonfires, hot chocolate, caroling and hay rides. Good luck!

We get a permit and cut our own tree down most years. I think it is a great idea! We love taking the kids and romping in the snow through the woods to pick a "perfect" tree. I wonder how much money this kind of business actually makes...do your research!

We cut down our tree every year at a local farm. It is part of our tradition. The only time we use our fake tree is if we will not behome for the holidays.

Due to my allergies we have to have a fake tree.
Without the allergy I do have to admit I feel like there is waste in cutting a whole tree down each year simply for decoration. I feel a little better that in some places it gets turned into mulch when you are done with it and such for gardens but still. I know some tree farms are sustanible which makes it feel a little better but still.
I do know friends that go and cut their own trees. I don't know if there are a lot of places locally though. Mostly the typical tree lots selling pre-cut trees.

AWE wish it was in AZ. Great idea

I heard on the radio where you can get tree with it's root intact and then plant it in your yard(or somewhere else) in the spring. I like this because you are adding not taking away.

Something to consider, would it be ONLY a Christmas tree farm or would you have other things during the year? Our local go-to place also has berries, pumpkins, etc. They keep you coming back for other things during the year. That said, while I'm not a "must have real tree" person, I think that if you offered the experience for a reasonable price, people would come. Maybe jazz it up with "free hot cocoa and a cookie" for every tree purchased. Do up a lighted display. Make it an event.

A benefit of "cut your own" is that if a tree doesn't sell, it just grows for next year. One place used to hold "come tag it" events after Thanksgiving and people tagged their tree and came back later in December when they wanted it cut.

You are absolutely right about doing your research first especially in these economic times. I would say looking back at the 10 years trending of christmas tree sales and current year to send how many trees are currently being sold at the lot and what is being sold (at what price point). I always go to Armstrongs Garden Shop (not to buy x-mas trees which they do sell as well as garland etc) and in talking with my local manager he said that Christmas Trees weren't selling as well as last year. We are in California so I don't know if that has anything to do with it and maybe more people are buying faux trees instead. Anyhow good luck!

As a garden reporter, I interviewed plenty of Christmas tree farm folks. I grew up with real trees, and have had them for all of my adult life except for a couple of years when I experimented with fake/prelit to test the budget (and my aggravation with the light strands!). Not only was it a waste, but my kids hated the fake tree.

Christmas tree farms are very popular, so it's not a crazy idea. Answers here have been great. Some other things to consider:
*Definitely ck the # of farms in your area. If there are a lot, you'll need to have something that makes them choose you (activities, lower prices?)
*Unless you have trees on your property already that you are shaping, getting a tree farm going will take a few years. Shaping is a years-long process, whether or not it's only a seasonal business for you (you'll need to understand growth to get good shapes).
*REALLY research the types of trees that sell the best in your area and are the fastest and cheapest to grow. I can tell you that in Indiana the Concolor Fir is a great seller because of its citrus-y scent and the fact it NEVER drops its needles. You can charge a lot for one, but it takes a looong time to grow to a decent height.
*You may be compelled to join a tree farmers association or retail agency. There are lots of regulations involved in farming and soil/chemical management and these groups frequently work on behalf of all tree farms to make sure the rest of the ag business doesn't stomp on your area of growth. These groups might also help you make your decision.
*Schedule - My tree farm friends say customers invariably show up right after Thanksgiving dinner, whether they're open or not! Also, check out the new fresh-cut tree delivery services online - that might be something you could get in on as well.

Good luck - if you decided to do this, know you will be making AMAZING memories for so many folks and their children!

We always get live trees and we go to the same Christmas tree farm to cut our own every year. It's a very popular place and has been around for a long time. They provide saws for cutting and carts for making hauling the tree back to your vehicle easier. They also have machines to shake and bundle the trees, a stand with snacks and hot drinks available (cocoa, coffee and cider), and a Santa that the kids can get pics taken with for free. They also sell wreaths and garland made from the trees.

I can't tell you if taking this chance is a good idea or not, but I can tell you that there are still lots of people that like cutting down their own trees every year. And I'd rather see the land full of growing trees (even if they are going to end up cut down) than turned into another parking lot or strip mall. :p

We live on the MO/KS border and most people go out and chop their own trees--we don't because my husband is allergic to real trees.

I have a fake tree. Here in Bend, Oregon, you can get a permit for $5 and cut your own tree in the national forest. It's cheap fun and if I weren't so lazy, I'd go do it.

I think that is an awesome idea! It brings backs old christmas traditions! Plus I feel as though in the last 5 yrs families as a whole have forgotten the meaning of the Holidays and the traditions that go with it.
Honestly its a great idea and I say go for it!

I think it is awesome! If our daughter was not allergic, I would love a real tree. There are many people that go and cut their own trees.

I have always wanted to go to ride in the hay wagons and drink the hot chocolate and apple cider.

You could ask local bands if they wanted to come and play each weekend so they could advertise or invite schools to bring their choirs to sing.. All of those families coming to see their kids sing.. Big Yule logs burning..

We go get a real tree. We pick it out, cut it down, and while they shake it and wrap, the kids feed real reindeer, take a hayride around the tree farm, and have hot cocco, popcorn, candy canes and Santa pics in the barn.

I am not sure about your location and state, but here in Ca there are still alot of people who go to tree farms to cut their own tree. We live near two farms within about 10 min of eachother. I remember as a child doing this and the whole experience was wonderful---going to pick a tree, having hot chocolate and cookies with my family and then driving back to look at the christmas lights. I think if you are in an area that has a need for it, you could probably do really well. If this is your dream, go for it! Good luck!

M

Personally, we use a fake tree, and when we did use a real one we would get a permit to harvest our own from state land. But as a kid we used to go to a tree farm.

Real.
When I was little we used to go to tree farms over an hour away and spend hours looking for the fattest tree. I remember tromping through the snow with my cousins. It was soooo much fun trying to find one.

Real!
We're CO natives baby :) It's been a tradition to hike into the wood and cut down a tree as long as I can remember!

To answer your title's question: My tree is fake. Always will be. Husband can't handle a tree in the house due to allergies.

But no, your business idea doesn't sound crazy. I think a lot of families like the 'experience' of choosing their tree, chopping it down themselves, and so forth. I could be wrong. I don't know. My concern with the job is that it is very limited to one time of the year, to people who buy xmas trees, and it depends a lot on your tree crop and how many of your trees survive unpredictable weather (My grandma is a tree-farmer, and lost so many of her saplings this year due to drought, the year before due to beetles).

and btw, in my 31 years of life, we did have real trees probably at least half of my life (I'm the youngest, when I went off to college, the live trees started to stop). So out of the 17 or 18 live trees we've had in my lifetime, we never once went to go chop one down ourselves.

I haven't read all the responses, but every year we go to Shady Pines in Chesterland, Ohio and cut down our own tree. It's always packed and we have a blast every time. It's even for sale...

REAL ALL THE WAY!!!! WHAT OTHER WAY IS THERE!!! Have a good day. I think it is a great idea that the entire family can join in on. In Ohio residents are eligible for a reduction in their property taxes if they fulfill reforestation guidelines. This is something you might want to look into in your state.

We always buy a real tree. I'd love to go cut one, but we haven't done that yet.

Good luck!

We're planning on cutting our own tree this year for the first time. But we get a real tree every year, we don't like fake.

We're too far south, but if we were up there we would come! We always have a live tree (well, our first Xmas we didn't.. I was pregnant and miserably sick.. so hubby took out my old single-apartment dweller-fit for a girl to pick up and lug up the stairs fake one and set it up with lights as a surprise for me. Every year but that one, we've had live. And will continue to as long as we are able, probably. We like the Frasier Firs someone else on here mentioned, but they don't grown down here....

We had a fake tree for about two or three years after we got married, but now that we travel less during the Christmas season (can be home to water one), we get a real one. It's our tradition to go to with my parents to pick out our tree, and theirs (and help them cut/carry it/bring it back home, now that they're getting a bit older). We go to the same farm that my parents used to go with my grandparents, so it's a special thing we get to do every year. In fact, we're going this Saturday, and I'm totally excited.

We go each year. The farms that we like have the following
1. A Hay ride if the farms really big- so they pick you back up with your tree and take you back to pay
2. love the ones with some animals for the kids to see or feed
3. ones that sell hot apple cider and coacoa
4. the ones that have events like santa, or making a craft
sometimes we go to the one with J. trees but ussually we go to the ones catered to kids since its about the kids
---in the fall you can have a field and get pumpkins delivered and do the hayride to the pumpkins too....some of the farms around here are more like amusement parks...they have wine and music nights, they do haunted hayrides, they do easter egg hunts...they make a killing, charge a bunch and we still all go

We buy a fresh tree each year, but we don't cut our own down. We did that once and it was a miserable experience, sorry.

We switch off every other year with a real tree to keep everyone in the house happy (me & DD like real, hubs & DS like fake). This is the first year we went to a farm & actually cut one down ourselves. We all loved it & had an absolutely great time!

The farm we went to had different types/sizes of trees in different sections. We told them what we were looking for, they told us where to go, gave us a saw & a huge measuring stick & off we went. They had several guys going around on 4 wheelers who would come to pick your tree up & take it back to the main house after you'd cut it. While they shook it, measured it, & netted it, we went into the gift shop & had free hot chocolate. It was a great day all around.

I say if you're confident in yourselves, you should go for it!!

*ETA* The farm we went to is also only open on Saturdays & Sundays from Thanksgiving through Christmas so I'm sure the workers/owners also have day jobs like you said.

so my husband son and i went and cut ours down this year together. The tradition in my side is real, his family used to do real then went fake and i hate fake. my 3 year old doesnt like fake cause they dont smell good. I dont think your idea is crazy. I think it is cool. And you could go bigger and offer pictures with Santa or things like that too. Good Luck!!