How to Get a Christmas Tree and Take Care of It
How to Get a Christmas Tree at Our Farm
Is this your first visit to our christmas tree farm, or would you just like a refresher on what we do? No worries! We are a Choose-and-Cut Christmas Tree Farm, also known as a U-Cut Farm. This means that you and your family get the traditional experience of journeying through a field, searching for the right tree for your home, then cutting it down all by yourselves, or with help from us if you need assistance. Here’s how all of that works…
Arrive to the farm in your car, and drive down our long driveway through the pine woods. Park in the area near our barn which we call the Snack Shack. There are signs to direct you where to go.
Be Weather Aware! Make sure to grab your coats, hats, gloves and scarves if needed. Remember to dress for the weather! We have no paved paths, so boots or good walking shoes are a must. This can make or break your experience.
Speak with our Greeter, usually Bill Westman or one of the Westman daughters. They will explain the process, prices, tree locations, etc.
Grab a saw and a tree cart or sled. Then head into the field.
Enjoy the hunt! We have a nice little piece of heaven here on the farm, so enjoy the walk in Michigan’s natural beauty.
Once you find the tree that is perfect for your home, carefully cut it down using the saw that we provide. Our saws are all sharp, so with the right technique, anyone can cut down a tree. Feel free to ask us for tips on using a saw, or for assistance cutting down your tree. We’re here to help!
Load your felled tree onto the sled or cart, and bring your tree back to the barn area. If you would like help hauling the tree, we have a staff member running a tree-retrieval-vehicle on the weekends. On the weekdays, ask the Greeter.
At the barn area, you will cart your tree to the platform with the tree shaker.
-There, a staff member will place matching numbered tags on the tree and in your hand. This makes sure that you take home the right tree, and don’t accidentally get stuck with someone else’s.
After the tree is tagged, you can tell the staff any requests you have for the tree while we are preparing it for travel home with you.
-First step is always shaking the tree, to remove any loose needles, bird nests, or other debris.
-Then we bale the tree in netting for ease of travel.
-If you need your tree drilled for a pin stand, please tell us here.
-All services here are included with your tree. We do not charge extra for shaking, baling, or drilling.
You can pay while we take care of prepping your tree for travel. Either a staff member near the end of the baling area, or at the counter inside the Snack Shack.
Collect your tree once you have paid. Then use the provided twine, or your own straps to secure the tree to the top of your vehicle. Or even inside the vehicle if you have the room.
Have a safe trip home, unload the tree, set it up, decorate it, and enjoy the beautiful part it plays in this year’s Christmas celebrations.
How to Take Care of a Fresh Cut Christmas Tree
Place your tree in water as soon as you get home, especially if it goes indoors, where it will warm up. For the first watering, hot water is ideal to soften the exposed wood and sap.
If you can not get it in water within a few hours, or if the cut gets a lot of dirt in it, you may want to give it a fresh cut.
If needed, you can temporarily store your tree for several days in a cold location, but make sure to give it a fresh cut once it is ready to go inside. It is still best to keep it in a bucket of water though, if possible.
Water your tree frequently in the first week, checking the water levels at least twice a day. Then continue to water as needed.
-A fresh cut tree can drink as much as 2 gallons of water a day!
-If the tree ever runs out of water, give it hot water again to hopefully revitalize the water uptake.
Try to avoid placing your tree close to any heat sources such as a fireplace, furnace, space heater, or air vents. Exposure to these increases moisture loss and will cause premature needle drop.
-Cover any unavoidable vents near the tree, if it is safe to do so.
It is normal for fresh cut Christmas trees to start dropping their internal needles after a few days of being indoors. But the recent growth will stay on for many weeks as long as you take good care of your tree.
Notes:
-Some people add things to the tree water to help extend the life of the needles such as aspirin, sugar or commercially produced tree preservative(we use this and sell it). However, MSU has done a number of tests which have proven that plain water is the tried and true best option.
-If you have any problems with your tree after it has left our farm, please give us a call so we can help fix the issue if possible.