Christmas trees hold a special place in our holiday traditions, but have you ever wondered about the meticulous process behind growing the perfect tree?
Christmas trees don’t sprout overnight. Chuck Berry of Berry’s Tree Farm LLC explains that it takes five to six years to grow a Christmas tree of ideal height. With about 40 acres dedicated to Christmas trees on their 100-acre farm, the Berrys plant seven to eight hundred trees per acre, totaling around twenty thousand trees in production.
Maintaining a Christmas tree farm involves year-round care. From cutting grass to keeping the area clean around the trees, Chuck emphasizes the importance of meticulous upkeep. The trees are trimmed twice a year by hand, in May and September, by a crew from Michigan wielding two knives each. This manual trimming shapes the trees into the classic Christmas tree silhouette.
The Berry family has been in the Christmas tree business since 1977 — as well as turning their farm into a winter wonderland each holiday season. Chuck shares the farm’s history, starting as a dairy and row crop farm in 1894 and transitioning to Christmas trees in 1969. Despite the seasonal nature of the business, the Berry’s have continued to grow and plant, making it a family tradition.
With nine different tree varieties, including Cyprus, Pine, Cedar, and Fraser Fir, Berry’s Christmas Tree Farm offers an array of choices. Chuck provides insights into selecting the perfect tree, considering factors like room size, limb spacing, aroma, and color. He emphasizes the advantage of visiting a Christmas tree farm to see all options in one place.
Berry’s Christmas Tree Farm received national recognition by winning Reserve Grand Champion at the National Contest in North Carolina. Chuck Berry recounts the honor of presenting one of their Georgia-grown Christmas trees to the Vice President in Washington D.C. for display. Additionally, Chuck shares practical tips on keeping your tree fresh throughout the season.
