Tree Process
Planting | Tree Maintenance | Harvest | Shipping | Buying Our Trees | International Buyers
Our 622 acre farm is dedicated to raising kids and growing trees. Our Christmas tree plantings include the most popular Douglas fir, as well as Noble and Grand fir. In recent years, we have also established a Nordman fir plantation that will be ready to market in around 2012.
Planting
The growing process begins with cone collections by the nurseries. Cones identified as Christmas tree friendly 
are collected and the seed is extracted, planted and nurtured for several years before it is sold to us. We buy seedlings as 2 year old bare root plants, known as a 2-0, or 2+1, which is a 2 year old tree pulled from its seed bed, and then replanted for another year. This 3 year old tree will be larger and have a stronger root system than a 2-0. Occasionally we also plant plugs or plug+1 seedlings. These are trees grown in tubes in a greenhouse and we have found them best suited for interplanting, that is, planting between already established trees to fully utilize available space. This helps us to establish a new crop in a field before the old crop is completely harvested.
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Tree Maintenance
After Christmas tree seedlings are planted, we work hard trying to keep the fields weed free for several years before the pruning and shaping begins. After the tree has been in our soil for 2 to 3 years, we put "handles" on the trees. This is known as basal pruning and consists of clipping the limbs from the bottom 6 to 8 inches of the tree. It is back breaking work much like berry picking. These lower tree limbs will not grow back and the tree will fit easily into your tree stand without them.
Generally the year following the first year the trees are basal pruned, we begin shaping the tree. We do this by shearing the tree with a machete like knife. This is accomplished by walking completely around each tree and shaving excess growth and wild limbs. Each time a branch is clipped it forks, or divides, causing the tree to fill out. With our Douglas and Grand fir, shearing requires full long swings over the entire length of the tree. With our Noble and Nordman fir, the process is called "tip shearing" as care is taken to only "nip the tip" of extended branches. This promotes better spacing between branches for hanging ornaments, and avoids a heavy knife look. On our Noble and Nordman species, we often forgo this process the final year to promote a more natural look with longer limbs for ornament hanging. Shearing is done every year, and generally begins immediately after the trees have finished their annual growth spurt, usually in late July.
In addition to shearing, our trees receive extensive top work. In order to get the tree to fill out, the top is cut back and kept short. This lengthens the tree’s growing time but is a necessary step. Cutting the top also causes problems. The new "leaders" do not stand up straight and need the help of sticks to direct their growth. These sticks, usually made of bamboo, are fastened with twist ties to pull the top back into line.
Two other methods of controlling top growth are now available and used extensively in Europe. One uses a "nipper" to constrict sap growth and the other uses a roller to apply a growth hormone. One of these methods will probably be in our future.
During the growing cycle of a Christmas tree pests, weed control and fungi mean constant monitoring and chemical applications. This is done by backpack spraying, or with the use of a tank attached to a tractor with spray attachments. It is also sometimes necessary to employ the use of a helicopter. We use the helicopter (as little as possible at $500/hr) primarily for insect and fungi management when aerial applications are more beneficial.
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Harvest
Christmas tree harvest is one of our busiest times of the year. Prior to harvest, trees are carefully tagged according to grade and size. After the trees are tagged, cutting can begin. We make a concerted effort not to cut a tree more than 3 days before shipping. One of the benefits of being a small independent grower is that we are better able to time our harvest with our customer’s need. Once the tree is cut, it is carefully hand carried, never 
dragged, out of the field, and placed in front of the baler. Occasionally the trees are bunched in the field and wrapped with slings for transport to the baler via helicopter.
Before the tree is baled it is shaken. The tree is placed on a mechanical shaking machine, like a big vibrator, to rid the tree of any unwanted pests (hitchhikers) and of dead needles.
Baling is the process of sending a cut tree through a wrapping machine. The tree is loaded in the baler butt first, and as it is pulled through a cone by a winch attached to the butt of the tree, the tree closes up preserving valuable moisture, while a light gauge string is spun around its outside. The string is tied off by one of the attendants, and the tree is pulled from the baler. Trees coming from the baler are then decked to await shipment.
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Shipping
The price of your tree includes the entire harvest process. Trucking is paid for by the customer, and the customer generally makes the trucking arrangements. We are more than willing to assist with trucking and it is often to your benefit to have us help. We are frequently able to pair up customers in the same area and combine shipping costs for smaller loads.
When your truck arrives in our yard, on a timetable of your choosing, your trees are carefully placed on an elevator for loading. A man with counter stands at the bottom of the elevator with no other job than to count the trees as they go on the truck. Getting the exact number of trees you order is very important to us. As the tree reaches the top of the elevator, it is grabbed and stacked as efficiently as possible in the truck. Stacking the trees in the truck is an art and it is one of our crew’s great sources of pride. It is important to place the trees in such a way that the tops do not break and every inch of trailer space is utilized. When the truck has been loaded, the back doors are sealed, and the truck driver is sent down the road with all the appropriate paperwork and a good set of directions.
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Buying Our Trees
Our larger buyers begin securing trees as early as March, but most of the buying is done in August & September after the trees have put on their new growth and they have been sheared with the top work done. Buyers usually want to see the trees they are buying in their final state before making a commitment. This is also the time that we take inventory. We strongly encourage all of our buyers to visit our farm and see the high quality of tree we are producing. Orders are generally placed verbally followed shortly by a "paper order" and deposit. We require a 25% deposit to hold your trees with final payment being made by November 1. We will not cut a tree before final payment is received. Please call us or send us and email for a current price list and availability.
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International Buyers
Our international and overseas buyers may take the additional steps of using refrigerated trucks and/or icing the trees once they leave our yard. Neither of these steps is necessary for our domestic customers. Icing is usually not done unless the trees will be in the container for several weeks. It is accomplished by sending the truck to an ice house where ice is blown in on top of the trees. We allow space for this while loading.
International and overseas customers will be required to provide inspectors a phytosanitary certificate. The "phyto" is a certificate of inspection asserting that the trees are free of bugs. Supplying the phyto is a service we provide free of charge.
Shipping to Hawaii or Guam only requires one additional step. Coordinating and paying for the ship. This is usually arranged by the buyer.
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