Christmas Tree Farm North Georgia
Beginning the weekend before Thanksgiving the Kinsey Family Farm opens the gates for what we feel is one of the finest times of the year! The winter season, and the holiday traditions and joy that accompany it, were the driving force behind the redevelopment of the farm.
We invite you to come roast marshmallows, drink hot chocolate, and listen to holiday music with us at the barn. Once you have warmed your insides sufficiently you can take a wagon ride out to the fields to begin your quest for the perfect Christmas tree.
Christmas Trees
During the 2011 season we will have over 2,500 Christmas trees available throughout the farm for families to choose from! We offer a multitude of ways to harvest a Christmas tree including choose and cut your own, pre-cut, and living trees in burlap. It will quite likely require some firm family decision making to find the right tree! Some of our tree varieties are featured in our Christmas gallery. The 2011 season will include all of the following varieties:
- North Carolina Fraser Fir
- Douglas Fir
- Concolor Fir
- Leyland Cypress
- Carolina Sapphire Cypress
- Blue Ice Cypress
- Naylor's Blue Cypress
- Norway Spruce
- Eastern Hemlock
- Deodar Cedar
North Carolina Fraser Fir
Choose & Cut Your Own
Our fields have been closed for the remainder of the 2011 season. We have sold out of choose & cut Christmas trees for 2011. And despite our desires to send all of our "farm friends" home with a tree from our fields, we really need to allow the remaining trees time to grow for next year . . . or there won't be very many to choose from! However we still have a nice supply of freshly cut Fraser Firs to choose from . . . which as always are on display in water. Have a Merry Christmas!
Choose your own Christmas tree is a beautiful family tradition. We generally grow around 800 trees out in the field for our families to wander through and cut down! All of the trees are tagged in early November to indicate their height and price so you will know exactly what you are getting yourselves into . . . but be warned . . . trees out in the open sky LOOK smaller than they actually will when you bring them inside your homes! It is deceiving . . . believe the heights listed on the tags! This years varieties of choose and cut include Leyland Cypress, Carolina Sapphire Cypress, Blue Ice Cypress, and Naylor's Blue.
Fresh Pre-Cut Christmas Trees
Fraser Fir, Douglas Firs, and Concolor Fir - We typically have three varieties of fresh pre-cut Christmas trees in our barns (which means you can pick out your tree in comfort even during inclement weather) and this year looks to be no exception. As is our tradition our fresh cut North Carolina grown Fraser Fir, Douglas Firs, and Concolor Firs will be available and ON DISPLAY IN WATER at the barn. Our largest selection of these varieties range in size from 5 to 11 feet. Because we strive to provide only the highest quality Christmas trees all of our Fraser Firs are graded as "Top Quality" (the finest trees as graded by the USDA) and are stored in the shade, out of the wind, and in water!
Fresh In Water
The Swamp - it is a well known fact that the freshest trees are those that are well hydrated . . . and we have designed our barns to provide for exactly that! With the addition of "The Swamp" in 2008 we now have the ability to store up to 700 pre-cut trees in the shade, out of the wind, and most importantly IN WATER! In addition to the swamp we also display over 120 trees in water under the shelter of the barns which gives the trees a chance to open up and show off their most bountiful boughs . . . and also provides for some great photo opps and smells delicious too!!!
Live / Living B&B Christmas Trees
The "living" Christmas tree is our third option for selection. These trees are commonly available in the size ranges of 5 to 7 feet plus the additional height of the rootball below the actual tree. A typical rootball increases the overall height by 18 to 24 inches. Among the many varieties of living Christmas trees that we offer, by far the two most popular are the Norway Spruce (the ONLY spruce we recommend growing in our zone) and Eastern Hemlock. However, you can also purchase Deodar Cedars, Blue Ice Cypress, Carolina Sapphire Cypress, and Leyland Cypress in this fashion.
Charlie Brown Christmas Tree
And our Christmas tree farm just wouldn't feel complete without the classic Charlie Brown Christmas Tree . . . which we have plenty of in our barns! These "table toppers" are perfect for older couples that don't desire a large tree anymore and are also fun for children to have in their rooms! Just don't let those rascally Christmas "Elf on the Shelf" Elves get into them . . . we've seen some crazy "tree decorating" when that happens!
2011 Kinsey Family Tree Ornament
We are also pleased to announce that in response to the overwhelming enthusiasm for the "Kinsey Family Farm" pewter ornament we have provided with each tree purchase (they are not included with Charlie Brown trees) during the last six Christmas seasons, we will again be giving them away this year! And in all honesty the 2011 ornament is likely to be a farm favorite . . . it turned out really nicely! We look forward to showing you the new ornament design this Christmas season! Sorry no sneak peeks . . . Christmas is after all a time for surprises!
Marriage Saver Tree Stand
The ultimate in tree stands! The "Marriage Saver", which goes by many other names but "Marriage Saver" is the most accurate, is honestly the last tree stand you will ever need. It takes all of 30 seconds for a real rookie to stand their tree up! It does require that you have a tapered hole drilled in the bottom of your tree and we are more than happy to take care of that little detail for you. In fact, if you buy a pre-cut tree from us it automatically comes with the hole in it. Be certain to give these stands a glance if you make it out to the farm . . . and definitely buy one if your marriage is a little shaky right now! :)
Wreaths & Garland, Holiday Decorations
Wreaths and garland are another Christmas accessory that you will find in abundance at the farm. We offer several different sizes all the way up to 38" giant wreaths for large open walls! And while we carry a multitude of styles of wreaths the clear favorite are the white pine, boxwood, and fraser fir combos . . . which do make for a striking display.
Family Activities
As many of our returning families now know the Kinsey Family Farm strives to create an atmosphere where you can come out and focus on being a family and create lasting memories. It's an important and driving force for who we are and why we redeveloped our farm. And in all honesty one of the most fantastic memories we have from our youth was roasting marshmallows and drinking hot chocolate during the winter . . . it's tradition! And traditions are HUGE in life and so valuable for families! And you can rest assured we wouldn't dream of letting that simple yet so delightful experience we skipped out here at the farm. The KFF keeps the fires burning every day all season long. And with Mom's "no messy fingers" marshmallow roasting sticks the sticky part of the process is reduced substantially . . . you HAVE to get a little sticky or it wouldn't be marshmallow roasting! (don't worry . . . we provide wet wipes!)
Harvest Shop
Honey
It has been said that unfiltered local honey is one of natures best agents for reducing seasonal allergies . . . and based upon our customers feedback it must have a substantial level of truth to it! We carry Allisons Honey which is produced locally and beyond delicious! Varieties are seasonal but commonly include:
SOURWOOD - a stout honey with a strong aftertaste . . . the far and away favorite!
BLACKBERRY - a mild honey with a light berry flavor.
WILDFLOWER - a strong rich tasting honey similar to clover honey!
COTTON - akin to a watery molasses, very unique . . . from South Georgia.
ORANGE BLOSSOM - intensely sweet and delightful . . . from Florida.
TUPELO - a delicious and much sought after honey with a cotton candy flavor . . . from Mississippi.
Salsa!
FRESH & FRUITY APPLE - our hottest salsa . . . perfect for those of you with no "spicy" detecting cells!
FIVE PEPPER MEDIUM SALSA - a nice and spicy salsa but not scorching hot.
VIDALIA ONION PEACH SALSA - a strong peachy flavor with a medium heat.
BEAN SALSA - haven't had it yet . . . but it sure seems like a farm favorite!
CHIPOTLE PEACH - delicious . . . and has a wonderful smokey flavor!
Jams & Preserves
Jams & Jellies
BLACKBERRY JAM -
BLUEBERRY JAM -
FROG JAM - Fig, raspberry, orange, ginger
PEACH JAM -
RED RASPBERRY JAM -
STRAWBERRY JAM -
T.O.E. JAM - Tangerine, orange, elderberry
RED PLUM JELLY -
GEORGIA MOONSHINE JELLY -
Jalapeno Pepper Jelly
RED JALAPENO JELLY -
GREEN JALAPENO JELLY -
5 PEPPER JELLY -
Farm Tee Shirts
Christmas Hours:
The 2011 Christmas season will be in operation from Saturday, November 19th (the weekend before Thanksgiving) until Saturday, December 17th. Due to our desire to celebrate the holidays with our own families we will not be open on Thanksgiving day or Christmas Eve.
- M-F 12:00 until 7:00
- Sat-Sun & Black Friday 9:00 until 6:00
- Closed Thanksgiving Day
2011 Season Highlights
Trees For Troops:
For the past four seasons our farm has donated 20 Christmas trees to our nations military families and personnel through the TREES FOR TROOPS program. We are proud to again be supporting this program with 20 more of our trees this season. Our goal this year is to send a total of 70 trees, if not even more, to Camp Merrill . . . our local Ranger Camp in Lumpkin County. Last year we had over 50 families donate additional trees to this program and it is difficult to express the level of gratitude that our local Rangers have expressed to us. They frequently stop by all year long, introduce themselves, and immediately begin describing how much YOUR outpouring of appreciation means to them! It's always so amazing to see what a HUGE impact one kind gesture can have!
Families interested in purchasing a discounted tree for the TREES FOR TROOPS program please see our cashiers in the barn. Families donating a tree are also invited to attach a personalized note to their tree with warm wishes to those who defend our freedoms and protect us with their lives. The level of appreciation our troops have expressed to us from this program is honestly indescribable. For more information regarding this program please visit www.treesfortroops.org or see our information center at the farm. The final date for purchasing a tree for a military family is the 5th of December!
Notes & Updates:
1 January . . . We are pleased to announce that we sent a total of 70 trees to our local Ranger camp during the 2010 season. The most frequent comment I hear from our troops is that our interest in them and appreciation for them is much more meaningful than we will ever understand! It is the strong opinion of the farm that giving our troops a better Christmas falls way short of the services they provide for us . . . but we’re glad it brightens their lives!
3 November . . . Only 16 more days until we open! There are SOOOO many details to get in place . . . but we'll get it done! Looking forward to seeing so many of the familiar faces and families again that have joined us throughout the past six seasons!
17 November . . . We just finished unloading our first shipment of Fraser Firs . . . which included most of the "monster" sized trees! What a job! Everything is now recut at the base, drilled, and soaking up water in the Christmas tree "Swamp"! Only two days to go before opening day!
19 November . . . WE ARE OPEN!
25 November . . . We unloaded our third shipment of fir trees tonight . . . which included our Douglas and Concolor Firs! It was wonderful weather for this years Black Friday and it was nice to see the hundreds of families that came out to join us. And even more wonderful to have so many of them support the Trees for Troops program!
28 November . . . We are almost to our Trees for Troops goal for this year . . . we need around 15 more trees to ensure that every family at the Camp Merrill Ranger Camp gets their Christmas tree as a present from the people that they protect. Please consider helping us with this annual tradition if you are on your way out to visit the farm this weekend. Merry Christmas!
2 December . . . Our fifth load of Fraser Firs arrived this morning. What a way to start what is typically our biggest weekend of the season . . . unloading a tractor trailer full of trees covered in snow! Bbbrrrrr! :)
5 December . . . We were quite pleased to load 66 trees on the military truck headed for Camp Merrill this morning! A giant thanks to the many, many families that donated towards this cause. Stay tuned for information regarding the "Open House" that the camp is putting on this summer . . . it will likely be some time this summer. And what a neat sneak peek into what life is actually like for these soldiers!
9 December . . . We will be unloading our 6th load of trees later this morning! This will most likely be our final load and consists of Fraser Firs which were cut on Wednesday. And our grower informed us that despite the fact it's the end of the "cutting" season for him, and the fields have been pretty well picked over, these will be the prettiest trees he has sent us this year . . . which is a little hard to imagine as we have already seen so many beautiful Frasers!
12 December . . . Our choose and cut fields have been closed for the remainder of the 2011 season. We have sold out of choose & cut Christmas trees for 2011. And despite our desires to send all of our "farm friends" home with a tree from our fields, we really need to allow the remaining trees time to grow for next year . . . or there won't be very many to choose from! However, we still have a nice supply of freshly cut Fraser Firs (all of which were cut on the 7th of December) to choose from . . . which as always are on display in water. Have a Merry Christmas!
