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Tree Farms are a Mostly-Fun Christmas Tradition
Dec 16 2008 by Sherrice Gilsbach
If you haven’t done it already, it’s time to load the family into the car and head to your nearest tree farm in search of an exceptional evergreen for your home.
This year, I took my family to Broecker Tree Farm of Lapeer, Mich., which has been in the Christmas tree business for 58 years. A tree farm is different than the fenced-in-portion-of-the-strip-mall-parking-lot tree retailer; getting your tree from a farm is a hands-on family experience. Upon our arrival at Broecker’s, my bunch was loaded onto the back of the Broecker family pickup truck and taken truly over the river and through the woods to peer out across acres of perfect spruces. It was a fun, albeit wet and bumpy, ride. Don’t wear your Sunday best to the tree farm, you’ll look silly.
At Broecker’s, everything was provided for us. From hand saws to twine for tying the tree to the roof of your car, they had the necessities covered.
If you’re not sure what your local tree farm provides, be sure to bring:
• Appropriate attire with gloves — trees are very prickly
• A hand saw
• A tarp or blanket to either place on your roof or in your cargo area beneath the tree. It’ll protect your car from scratches and sap.
• Twine or rope of some kind to secure the tree to your car.
• Snacks, cocoa and cameras for the moments you’ll want to capture.
If you happen to get some pine sap on your car, pour some rubbing alcohol on a rag and rub it on the pine sap. It should come right off with just a little bit of elbow grease.
Our trip ended with my 6-year-old successfully chopping down our little tree all by himself (well, sort of). In all of his excitement, he lifted the tree and spun it around right into his little brother’s face! Ouch! There was crying and running to the car with the tree in tow. We tried to thank and pay the Broeckers over the wails of our precious children. Ahhhhh! Aren’t family excursions grand? Happy holidays!
