At The Christmas Tree Farm in Story County, owner Sandra Hunter sells concolor firs, Fraser firs, Canaan firs, scotch pines and white pines along with wreaths, tree stands and other Christmas-related items in the gift shop.

She began planting Christmas trees in the spring of 1992 on approximately seven acres of trees and now offers the choose and cut option to customers.

This year, she brought in 20 pre-cut firs to boost her supply.

For Hunter, who is retired after working for the county for almost 23 years, the Christmas tree farm provides supplemental income. But the joy that comes with owning a Christmas tree farm also makes the hard work worth it.

-Submitted photos
Blair Luellen, daughter of Clint and Abbey Luellen of Minburn, roasts a marshmallow at Hills Tree Farm in Dallas County in 2020.

“We have Santa here the first two weekends after Thanksgiving and it is always fun for the children to talk to him and get a candy cane. We have complimentary hot cider, lemonade and snack crackers I make for the families. It’s fun watching them all sit at tables in our shop and enjoy time together,” Hunter said.

Customers at The Christmas Tree Farm come from across Story County and beyond, including Des Moines, Newton, Colo and Marshalltown starting the day after Thanksgiving. She offers pre-tagging on Oct. 1 and will remain open daily until Dec. 18.

Making memories

At Hills Tree Farm in Dallas County, Harold and his wife Carol Hill planted their first crop of Christmas trees in 1982 in a former orchard about half an acre in size. They planted Scotch pines, then added to the tree crop by planting on small parcels of land around their farm that couldn’t be actively farmed. Originally, the tree farm was part of the family’s general farming operation that included field crops, beef cattle and hogs.

Although Hill retired from farming in 2016, he and his wife kept their Christmas tree business as a beloved hobby and to help keep them active. Currently they have an estimated 10 acres brimming with upwards of 7,000 trees in various stages of growth that include four kinds of fir trees, two types of pines and two spruces, one of which — Norway — is grown as transplants for windbreaks.

-Submitted photos
Avery Werneburg, Gavin Werneburg, Nate Werneburg, Cameron Werneburg, and Brooke Werneburg pose for a photo at Fisher Trees in Winnebago County.

The Hills’ busy selling season starts the Friday after Thanksgiving and they remain open Fridays through Sundays or by appointment during the week until their supply is gone.

“Our demand has been great enough the last two years that we had to shut down a week early,” said Hill, who anticipated needing to shut down earlier again in 2022. “We are mostly choose and cut, but I do bring in extra trees to supplement the supply we grow. We also offer decorated wreaths and other greenery.”

Customers at Hills Tree Farm come from a 30-mile radius including Des Moines. The Hills enjoy seeing families return each year and watching the kids grow up.

“It gives us great joy to see families come to the farm, sometimes two or three generations together, to get one or more trees. We also provide hot chocolate and cookies, and have several fire pits going for families to roast marshmallows over the fire,” Hill said. “Buying a real tree continues a significant Christmas tradition. They’re also biodegradable, provide oxygen for our air, are healthier for the environment and provide important cover for many different species of birds and insects.”

Small but special tree farm

At the Christmas Grainery in Sioux County, owners Greg and Debbie Alexander sell Fraser, Canaan, concolor and balsam firs to customers who are mostly local. They planted their first group of trees seven years ago on an acre, hoping to grow a successful hobby-turned-small business.

“We live on an acreage and planted the trees more for something we could do after we retired,” Debbie Alexander said.

The Alexanders offer pre-cut trees and choose and cut. In their shop they offer locally made crafts and handmade wreaths. They also offer appointments for people to make their own holiday wreaths.

“Since most of our customers are local, my favorite part is seeing people we’ve known for years. There are several people who have been getting their trees and wreaths from us since we started, and we’ve become a part of their holiday traditions,” Alexander said. “Real trees make the whole house smell like Christmas. It’s also fun to decorate a real tree because of their organic shape. The individuality of each tree gives new life to the decorations people have owned for years.”

Tree headed to Texas

Fisher Trees in Winnebago County got its start in 1978 with the first planting. Owner Mark Fisher said he started with six acres and has bumped that up to eight acres. He sells Fraser firs, Canaan firs and white pines. While crop farmers reference the value of their crop per acre, it’s a bit different when calculating the worth of an acre of Christmas trees.

“An acre of corn may be worth $2,000, but an acre of Christmas trees would be worth $100,000 and an acre of nursery stock worth $1 million,” he said. “That’s a rough, ballpark estimate, but Christmas trees are valuable.”

At Fisher Trees, customers can choose and cut their own at their farm with the guidance of Fisher’s son.

There are pre-cut options he brought in from Wisconsin that are available at Fisher’s home in Clear Lake.

Customers come from near and far; in fact, one of his trees was trucked to Laredo, Texas, on a 40-foot flatbed trailer. He runs the business for fun and to help others make memories that last a lifetime.

“It’s fun meeting new people. One gentleman who was here is a critical care doctor at the Mason City hospital and another is the star on the cleaning lady series on TV,” Fisher said. “We also sell porch pots my daughter makes and wreaths handmade by a high school sophomore.”