Cutting Down Your Own Christmas Tree in Massachusetts

Cutting down your own Christmas tree in Massachusetts is a great experience and a wonderful holiday tradition to start (or continue) with your family. Rather than going to a cheap looking, side of the road tree stand, a home improvement store, or a major discount retailer, head into the woods and support your local farmers. Many tree farms offer lots of help to their customers-most offer saws and wrapping services, and will even help you tie the tree to your car. Some tree farms will also cut the tree down for you and haul it back (dragging the tree halfway across the farm can be a pain if they’re snow or mud on the ground). With tree farms in Massachusetts offering lots of amenities like snacks, petting zoos, and other Christmas decorations, the whole family is sure to have a blast when you go to your local tree farm.

Hansens’ Tree Farm is located in Haverhill, Massachusetts and has a huge selection of trees. They grow blue and white spruces, Balsam, Concolor, and Canaan firs, and Scots pine trees. They also have a selection of wreaths for decorating the outside of your house. Hansens’ Tree Farm is open the first two weekends and the third Saturday in December (Saturdays from 9:30am-4:00pm, Sundays from 12:00pm to 4:00pm). The owners are very friendly and helpful, making your Christmas tree search truly enjoyable. You can find Hansen’s Tree Farm at 1100 North Broadway in Haverhill. You can also contact them at (978)374-9466 or xtreeman@comcast.net.

Turkey Hill Farm is another great place to find a Christmas Tree in Massachusetts. Also located in Haverhill, Turkey Hill Farm grows only firs-balsam, fraser, douglas, and canaans. They were voted the best Christmas tree farm in 2003 by the Channel 7 News viewers. You can buy wreaths and other accessories at Turkey Hill Farm, and they also offer tagging, roping, and shaking/wrapping the trees. They have bathrooms, which is a big help when you’ve got the kids with you. Turkey Hill Farm also provides hot and cold cider. Their hours are 8:30am-4:00pm on weekends in November until Thanksgiving, then daily until Christmas. Turkey Hill Farm is at 380 Middle Road in Haverhill, and you can contact the owners at (978)372-9474. You can also visit their website at www.turkeyhillfarm.com.

Smolak Farms is a fabulous place to visit with the kids any time of year, but especially when you go to cut down your Christmas tree! Smolak Farms is located in North Andover, on 315 South Bradford Street. They have a gorgeous selection of balsam, fraser, douglas, and concolor firs, making it easy to find that perfect Christmas tree. They also sell wreaths and other accessories in their Christmas shop, and lots of other goodies in their bakery and farm stand. The kids will love the petting zoo, home to fallow deer, a Zebu cow, pygmy goats, pigs, sheep, mute swans, peafowl, pheasants, ducks, and geese. Smolak Farms is open from November 15th to December 24th, 7:00am to 5:00pm (or dark) daily. You can contact Smolak Farms at (978)682-6332 or visit their website at www.smolakfarms.com.

For those closer to the Newburyport area, Crane Neck Tree Farm is the best place to find a beautiful Christmas Tree. Located in West Newbury, Crane Neck Tree Farm is only 10 minutes from scenic downtown Newburyport (where you can find tons of cute shops and restaurants), which makes for a great day trip for even those who don’t live nearby. The farm grows Blue Norway spruces, and balsam, fraser, and douglas firs. They offer shaking/wrapping, twine, and a great free drilling service. The helpful staff at Crane Neck Tree Farm will drill holes in the trunk of your tree, which makes setting the tree up at home a snap if you use their tree stands. Tree stands are $20 for a small, and $25 for a large. You can also go on a fun hayride or have some snacks (cutting down a tree makes you work up an appetite!) at the Crane Neck Tree Farm. You can find the farm at 114 Crane Neck Road in West Newbury, or at www.cranenecktree.com. You can also contact the owners at (978)363-1272. They’re open November 25th to December 21st, from 9:00am to dusk daily.

Whichever tree farm you choose, you’re sure to have a wonderful time. And after Christmas is over, you’ll look forward to doing it all over again the next year. Create a memorable tradition with your family that they’ll remember for years and years to come. For more information about tree farms or Christmas trees in general, visit the Massachusetts Christmas Tree Association at www.christmas-trees.org.