Christmas Trees galore
Christmas tree farms throughout the region begin selling trees the week before Thanksgiving. Many farms offer pre-tagging, allowing families to pick out the tree they want as early as the first week of November and come back later to fetch it. All farms continue selling trees until a few days before Christmas, and some up until Christmas Eve.
All the farms carry Fraser firs, the most traditional and common form used to decorate homes, but some farms carry other species of evergreens. Typical tree heights are 5' to 10' feet, but some farms carry large trees suitable for homes with grand entries or very high ceilings.
Some farms are more formal operations than others, with official hours and various accoutrements. Others are old-time farmers with a few acres of Christmas trees on the hill behind the home place. When asked for their hours of operation, some replied "Why, anytime folks want to come by, we'll fix them right up with any tree they want." Ultimately, we tried to list hours that are guaranteed times to find the farmers around, but people can always call ahead to set up a time outside the listed hours.
In most cases, Christmas tree farmers live on the farm and use their house as an office, so don't be shy to go right on up to the house and knock on the door if you don't see anyone in the field. All farms will tie up your tree and secure it on top of your car for you.
With many farms, getting there is half the fun. It's a great excuse to take a beautiful country drive down scenic back roads that you otherwise may never travel on. Many families from South Carolina, Georgia and eastern North Carolina make an annual pilgrimage to the mountains to get a tree every year.
The guide to the local chambers of commerce is on page 4 of the WNC Travel Guide, and people in each county will gladly answer specific questions about special events some growers offer during the holiday season.
Haywood
• Boyd Mountain Christmas Tree Farm. 828.926.1575.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
Where: From Maggie Valley, head east on U.S. 19 (Soco Road). Turn left on U.S. 276 (Jonathan Creek Road). Go 2.5 Turn left on immediately Boyd Farm Road.
(Boyd Christmas trees also can be purchased from Grass Roots Garden Center at the intersection of U.S. 276 and U.S. 19 just north of Waynesville during weekdays.)
• Dutch Cove tree farm. 828.648.9133.
Hours: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays or by appointment. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Can begin pre-tagging any Saturday in November or by appointment.
Where: From Main Street in Canton, take a right on Academy Street. Weave through town until Academy becomes Dutch Cove. Go about 5 miles and take a left on Elbert Burnette Road. Go about half a mile and turn left on Setzer Drive. Look for trees.
Jackson
• Ammons Brothers Nursery. 828.293.5953.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Where: From Sylva, head south on N.C. 107 to Tuckaseegee. Turn off to the left on N.C. 281. Go several miles, about half way to Lake Toxaway, and turn on Tennessee Creek Road. Go for one mile and turn on Wolf Mountain Road. Go for 2.5 miles to the farm.
• D's Trees Farm. 828.293.3308.
Hours: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays; noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, or anytime by appointment. Folks can beginning tagging trees Oct. 1, but call ahead for appointment.
Where: From Sylva, head south on N.C 107. Go about 1.5 miles and take a left on Old Cullowhee Road. Go 1.5 miles and take left to Cane Creek Road. Go 1.5 miles look for field to the right of creek road.
• Tom Sawyer Christmas Tree and Reindeer Farm. 828.743.5456.
This tree farm features some extra perks for families. In addition to 80 acres of Christmas trees, visitors are invited to visit with a real, live reindeer family. There are picnic tables nestled among the pond and barn for visitors to lunch at. The farm also overlooks Lake Glenville.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week.
Where: From Cashiers, head north on N.C.107. Go six miles and turn left on Old School House Road. Turn Right on Lakeside Circle Road. Tree farm immediately on left.
• Smith Tree Farm in Sylva. 828.269.6769 or 828.586.3488. Lots of trees over 10 feet and up to15 feet tall.
When: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; call ahead on weekdays.
Where: From Sylva, go south on N.C. 107. Go about a mile turn left on Cope Creek Road at the Hot Spot gas station. Go one mile and turn right on East Cope Creek. First drive on left.
• Ty-Lyn Plantation. 828.743.3899. www.tylynplantation.com.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week.
Directions: From Cashiers, go north on N.C. 107 for one mile. Take a left on North Norton Road. Go 3.5 miles, fork right staying on North Norton. Got 2.5 miles and take a right on Lloyd Hooper Road. Go about one mile to the farm and look for sign. Or, just follow the Santas!
• Woodard Tree Farm. 828.586.8577.
Hours: 9 a.m. to dark Monday through Saturday. Begin pre-tagging in October.
Where: From Sylva, head south on U.S. 441. Go about half way to Franklin. Turn on Pumpkin Town Road. Go 1.3 miles and look for farm.
Macon
• Martin Tree Farm. 828.524.3464.
Hours: 9 a.m. to dark Monday through Saturday; noon to dark on Sunday
Where: From Franklin, take U.S. 64 West. Turn left onto Wellsgrove Road (look for sign that says Middle Grade School.) Take a right on Clarks Chapel Road. Go about three miles and take a left on Guffey Road. Tree farm on the left.
Swain
• Ted Craig tree farm. 828.488.3954
Hours: 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. weekdays; Saturday and Sunday come just about anytime.
Where: From Bryson City, take Alarka Road out of town. Go about 3.5 miles and take a right on Deep Gap Road. Go one-third of a mile and take a right on Cullisia Road. Go less than a mile and take a right on Frasier Fir Drive. Go up to the third house.
Graham
• Evergreen Acres Nursery. 828.479.8014. In addition to Fraiser fir, carries Norway spruce and white pine.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Where: From Robbinsville, head east on N.C. 143 for about 9 miles. Turn right on N.C. 28 and go about one mile. Pull into Stecoah Barber Shop parking lot.
Cherokee
• Shields Tree Farm. Norway Spruce, White Pine, Leyland Cyprus, Canadian hemlock. 828.644.5254.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. seven days a week.
Where: From Murphy, head west on U.S. 64 for 11 miles. Just past Triple B restaurant and look for the sign and tree farm on the left.
