Four years ago this week we signed papers on our 10-acre homestead in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. It was untouched, overgrown, unkempt and neglected. To everyone we knew, it seemed absolutely crazy. But to us, it was the realization of a dream.
This place we named Bramblewood -for the wild blackberries that still tangle their way through our land- represented endless possibility. We dreamed of the ability to grow our own meat, fruit and veggies, as well as start a small side business producing a crop of our very own; Christmas Trees.
Now, four years later, we were FINALLY able to get started on our tree farm. On Saturday, we put in 1/3 of an acre of our first batch of trees and it was so much fun to see it all come together, working side by side as a family.
Why we planted Christmas Trees on our homestead
Christmas Trees? Why Christmas Trees? Well, here’s a few reasons why we went with this festive crop.
- Homesteading is not our full-time job. As romantic as it sounds to be living and working here all together all the time, that’s not the reality of our life. My husband is a (more than) full-time farmer on his family’s farm nearby, and I’m a full-time homeschooling mama, so we needed a crop where the lion’s share of the work happens in his off-season.
- Christmas trees are low maintenance. Thankfully, planting Christmas trees means a crop with minimal work required, just a little pruning, weeding and watering here and there. We are also hoping we can grow our trees chemical-free, by planting hearty, disease resistant varieties.
- The timing works for our family. The saplings we planted will be coming of age right about the time our oldest hits high school, which means the boys will be more than capable of caring for and harvesting the trees. We joke about the tree farm being their college fund, though I’m not sure it’s such a joke!
How we planted Christmas Trees on our homestead
- Make a plan. Due to quite a few extenuating circumstances- like needing to drill a new well and replace our roof, both unexpectedly- we’ve had plenty of time to plan for our Christmas Tree farm. My husband has spent months measuring the field, researching optimal planting schemes, laying out flags and talking with tree nurseries. He certainly did his due diligence, and we were more than prepared to get going this last weekend.
- Prepare the land. Over the last few months, my husband has been working the ground out in the field where we were going to plant our first batch of trees. First he used a disc a few times, then a field cultivator, then a tiller. He not only wanted to remove weeds, but also smooth out the dirt, all without letting the soil dry out too much. By the time we were ready to plant, the soil was open and soft. I put together a fun video over on Instagram where you can see it all happen!
Planting time
- Pick up your saplings. After lots of research, my husband went with a local tree farm just a few miles from us. The advantage of being in an ag-heavy area. He made a couple trips to pick up trees on planting day, and it was so nice that he could go back and forth in just a few minutes. I talk a little more about the varieties we chose below, keep reading!
- Dig your holes. After measuring and laying out the rows with flags- we went with 6′ x 5′ spacing– my husband and a few of the guys from our farm, dug 6-inch wide holes with an Earth Auger. They went about 18-20 inches deep. This left lots of room for soft soil around the saplings.
- Place the seedlings. While the guys dug holes with the auger, our youngest ran down the rows and dropped seedlings in the holes. Our oldest, myself, and one of the farm guys, went along on hands and knees and filled in the holes, tucking the tiny trees into their new homes.
How long will the trees need to grow before you can sell them?
The saplings we purchased from a local nursery are all 3 years old. Which means, they will need about 7 years in the ground to reach the average height of a Christmas Tree. While that probably seems like a long time to some people, for us, in a very busy stage of life, that sounds just about right.
We will also continue to plant blocks of trees for the next few years, until our 4ish acre spot is full, so that we will have trees of different sizes, and some coming into maturity for lots of years to come. It would be a bummer to plant them all at once, then have nothing to sell after just the one season.
What varieties of trees did you plant on your homestead?
Nordmann Fir- 250 each. A Nordmann Fir is what I think of when I think of a classic Christmas Tree. Requiring minimal pruning, as it somewhat naturally grows in a pyramidal shape, it’s a great choice for our farm. It has a fresh piney smell and isn’t supposed to drop needles when cut and brought inside and watered properly. It’s the perfect choice for a Christmas Tree farm!
Turkish Fir- 250 each. Turkish Firs were new to me, but my husband did a lot of research and was really excited about this variety. Similiar to the Nordmann, they are known for needle retention, deep color, and sturdy and beautiful branches. It is also said to have a delightful fragrance and be drought-tolerant.
I am hoping that we can continue to plant a few different varieties each year, creating biodiversity in our field and more options for customers!
Other benefits of planting Christmas trees on our homestead
Aside from potentially having a U-Cut tree farm, or even selling them to a distributor, growing trees on our property will bring us several other benefits. Here’s a few:
- Christmas Trees provide wildlife habitat for birds and other critters.
- Christmas Trees stabilize the soil and provide oxygen.
- Christmas trees protect water supplies.
- And Christmas trees are a low-waste, renewable resource.
Beating discouragement in homesteading
I hardly feel qualified to cover this topic, as it feels like I’m just barely over the hump, but Homestead Burnout can be such a huge hurdle in this way of life. There is never enough time or money, and instead of crushing your never-ending to-do list one box at a time, you’re often dealing with one unexpected calamity after another. Spending the better part of the last 4 years looking at all the things that are undone or out of reach has been a recipe for self-induced misery.
I never anticipated that it would take us FOUR YEARS to have the capacity to plant our first trees. And yet here we are. And it’s totally OK!
Living in the present is PARAMOUNT. As is the daily pursuit of contentment and gratitude. I’m learning that when I can look around and find the daily beauty RIGHT NOW, AS IS, it makes a world of difference. It’s part of the reason I love to work on this blog. It reminds me of the beauty in my life RIGHT NOW.
Share your homestead dreams!
We are intent on celebrating this latest step towards our dreams. It feels BIG! Four years in the making, and lots of sacrifice to boot. Don’t miss my fun video over on Instagram where you can see us hard at work on the field.
What are your homestead dreams? If you already have a homestead, what are you working on? And if you don’t, but want one, what does that look like? Leave a comment and share your dreams, I’d love to hear them!
And don’t forget to pin this image so other hopeful homesteaders can learn about adding a tree farm to their plans.
WAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
