Oh! Christmas Tree! Cut Your Own Experience

My family has always had real trees, they have varied in size but we always have had a tree. The kids have never been interested with how we get one until THIS year. Must be their ages now, they are more aware of everything! They also requested we cut our own. Upon looking up area places to cut our own (check our list of places in Hudson Valley), we found a cute location, family owned in Verbank, NY (Dutchess County), Abel’s Trees.

Off we went, having a pick up truck is super convenient this time of year too, just throw tree in bed and go, no worrying about it flying off the roof.  Especially in the pouring rain.

Steve Abel’s, owners and operator, gave us a tour and history of the tree farm.  Abel’s is strictly a tree farm open seasonally for November and December.   Thoughtout the other 10 months he maintains over 30,000 trees.  The farm has been in the family since the 1850s, dating future back is when family came to the area in late 1700s.  The tree farm opened to the public in the 1970s, after planting a decade before.  I learned on average it takes 7-10 years for a tree to grow to be a good size to sell.  Planting of new trees is done either in April or October, between that trimming, mowing, and maintaining the property is on him.  That is a lot of work, family helps run the business during the tree cutting season, open weekends 9am-dusk.

 

Inside the barn you can rent your saw, deposit is refundable upon return.  The kids were excited to use the saw to cut (until they realized it wasn’t easy, each tried, as did I), but daddy wound up doing the real work of cut and carrying out.

 

 

 

Getting ready to bring out tree home.  Abel’s wraps and loads your tree for you. They do this while you take hay ride back to parking lot for you car.  Then you drive on their path to your tree.  Easy in and easy out!

Wreathes are available in a variety of sizes, larger size wreaths (some bigger than my preschoolers) should be preordered and only need a week notice.

Abel’s has a small store inside a barn on the property, proving FREE hot chocolate all day, baked goods and everything you need for your tree: stands, disposal bags, watering funnels and automatic waterers.

If you haven’t got your tree yet, I highly suggest going to Abel’s Trees, one weekend left.  If you have, next Christmas take a ride over to Abel’s you will not be disappointed.  We will be back, a new tradition has started for my family.

 

Disclosure: All opinions are my own and 100% honest, I was not compensated for this post.