Love the smell of a freshly cut Christmas tree? Here’s where to cut your own in the Midlands
Out with Thanksgiving, in with Christmas. For those of you who didn’t jump the gun on your decorating, it’s now open season for trees, wreaths, garlands and all the lights.
If you want to cut your own Christmas tree this year, you might need to scout around because some farms have gone out of business or are taking a year off.
Others are going strong. Here are some tree farms to check out in the Midlands.
Bear Creek Tree Farm
Mary Wessinger, of Chapin’s Bear Creek Tree Farm, has been carrying on the business since her husband died 10 years ago. She and her daughters merged Bear Creek with Old Barn Christmas Tree Farm in recent years.
“It’s pretty hard work,” she said. “But at Christmas, oh, the kids have the best time. Many are from the city, and they run around the farm.”
They will open Friday, Nov. 26, and have Leyland Cypress, White Pine, Virginia Pine, Deodar Cedar, Red Cedar, Carolina Sapphire and Fraser Fir.
564 Amicks Ferry Road, Chapin, SC 29036. Phone: (803) 345-5607. Monday to Friday, 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Directions: Take Amicks Ferry Road from Chapin. Go 2 miles. Farm located on right side of highway.
Hollow Creek Tree Farm
Over at Hollow Creek Tree Farm in Gilbert, Mike McCartha carries on a family legacy started by his father on land they’ve owned for generations.
His father, J.W. McCartha, planted the first Christmas trees in 1976 and began selling pre-cut cedars and white pines in 1978 and cut-your-own in 1980.
You-Choose and You-Cut varieties: Carolina Sapphire, Deodar Cedar, Eastern Red Cedar, Leyland Cypress, Virginia Pine, White Pine and other varieties including Murray Cypress, Blue Ice Cypress, and Thuja Green Giant (call for availability). Pre-cut varieties: Fraser Fir.
228 Windmill Road, Gilbert, S.C. 29054. Phone: (803) 892-3662. Email: RealTreesMakeScents@gmail.com. Open: Wednesday, Nov. 24 to Wednesday, Dec. 22; Monday to Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday, from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Directions: Go 9 miles west of Lexington on US 378. Turn left at light onto Priceville Road (BP on right). Go 1.5 miles, turn right onto Windmill Road.
Price’s Tree Farm
Bryan Price at Price’s Tree Farm in Lexington said he sold out of Carolina Sapphires on opening day Saturday but has plenty of Leyland cypress, Murray cypress and Red Cedars as well as already-cut Fraser Firs from North Carolina.
Most of the cut-your-own operations also carry pre-cut trees.
Price said there’s a shortage of Fraser Firs, so he ordered his trees a year ago to ensure he’d have enough. Some North Carolina growers didn’t plant as many trees when demand waned — thanks, fake trees — and were caught short when demand picked back up, Price said.
Also, some farms were swept away in wildfires and bad weather conditions, he said.
Price’s Tree Farm is located at 228 Maple Road, Lexington, S.C. 29073. Directions: Off Highway 1 between 1-26 and 1-20 around Oak Grove Area near Barnyard Flea market. Take Maple Road Farm approximately 1 mile on right. Signs will be at Highway 1 and at the driveway.
Others have closed
Glenn Leaphart of Leaphart’s Christmas Tree Farm in Wagner said he won’t be open this year.
“I got behind on keeping it up,” Leaphart said. “Somebody has to trim twice a year and spray for bugs. In other words, you don’t just plant it.”
He said he and his father started the farm 30 years ago and kept it up as he worked a full-time job. He had COVID-19 this year but doesn’t want to use that as an excuse.
“I slacked off,” he said.
Other tree farms reported they are not opening this year or have closed permanently..
Browns Christmas Tree Farm in Lexington reported they are closed until 2022 due to COVID. The number for Fox Tree Farm and Nursery is disconnected, as is Harmon Tree Farm in Gilbert.
For more information on local tree farms, contact South Carolina Christmas Tree Association.
This story was originally published November 22, 2021 at 11:59 AM.