It’s Time To Choose & Cut!

Thousands of Christmas Trees Available in High Country

Story by Anna Oakes

Families travel from across the state and the Southeast to get their hands on the High Country’s hottest commodity of the holiday season—the Fraser fir. Luckily, High Country residents don’t have to travel far to take part in this favorite pasttime. Look for Choose & Cut Christmas tree farm signs on the highways or pick up a brochure at local businesses. With literally thousands to choose from, you and your family can find the perfect Christmas tree this year. Families from across the state and Southeast travel hundreds of miles to our mountains for their tannenbaums, but High Country residents enjoy the privilege of living right in the center of North Carolina’s Choose and Cut Capital.

If you’ve never experienced the joy of selecting your own real Christmas tree, make this the year you start a new tradition. Chopping down your own tree is an excuse to spend a little time with your family, roommates or friends, a reason to bundle up and feel the cool air sweep against your cheeks, and a chance to set foot on something other than asphalt and concrete. Plus, you’ll meet hardworking farmers and put money into the local economy at a time when it’s sorely needed.

Families travel from across the state and the Southeast to get their hands on the High Country’s hottest commodity of the holiday season—the Fraser fir. Luckily, High Country residents don’t have to travel far to take part in this favorite pasttime. Look for Choose & Cut Christmas tree farm signs on the highways or pick up a brochure at local businesses. “It’s about old-timey entertainment—taking things back to a slower time when families can get together without any bells and whistles and do a family activity together. That’s a rare moment these days,” said Meghan Baker, Watauga County Extension agent. “It’s a chance to be around each other and do something that has meaning for them.”

The Watauga County Extension office assists the Watauga County Christmas Tree Association. This year, the Watauga Christmas Tree Association Choose & Cut brochure features 22 Choose & Cut Christmas tree farms throughout Watauga County and a couple just over the state line in Tennessee. Two farms—Greene Family Tree Farm in Boone and Rainbow Sky Nursery in Vilas—are new additions to the brochure this year.

The Watauga association has partnered with Mountainhome Music, a local concert series featuring Appalachian musicians, for a combined marketing effort this year. The series’ Saturday, November 29, Coming Home concert at the Hayes Center in Blowing Rock and its Saturday, December 6, Christmas Tree concert at Henson’s Chapel in Vilas are featured on the brochure’s calendar of events, and discount coupons for the concerts will be available at the Christmas tree farms.

Families travel from across the state and the Southeast to get their hands on the High Country’s hottest commodity of the holiday season—the Fraser fir. Luckily, High Country residents don’t have to travel far to take part in this favorite pasttime. Look for Choose & Cut Christmas tree farm signs on the highways or pick up a brochure at local businesses. The Avery County Christmas Tree and Nurserymen’s Association features 15 Choose & Cut farms on its website. And in Ashe County, the Christmas Tree Association includes 20 Choose & Cut farms.

For 2008, What Fir! Tree Farm of Boone has partnered with Apple Hill Farm, a mountaintop alpaca farm in Banner Elk. Apple Hill Farm will feature freshly cut trees, wreaths and garland from What Fir! farm along with guided farm tours and visits with alpacas, llamas, donkeys, horses and goats. Apple Hill Farm is located at 400 Apple Hill Farm Road in Banner Elk. For info, call 828-963-1662 or click to www.applehillfarmnc.com.

Families travel from across the state and the Southeast to get their hands on the High Country’s hottest commodity of the holiday season—the Fraser fir. Luckily, High Country residents don’t have to travel far to take part in this favorite pasttime. Look While most farms are open on weekends between Thanksgiving and mid-December, some are open daily for those who can’t make it on Saturday or Sunday or who are looking to dodge the weekend crowds. Check brochures and/or websites for specific dates and hours, products, locations and directions and activities for each farm.

Brochures are available now in local businesses.

For info on the Watauga Country Christmas Tree Association, call 828-264-3061 or click to www.wataugachristmastrees.org. For info on Avery Country Christmas tree farms, call 828-733-6083 or click to www.averycountytrees.org. For Ashe County, call 336-846-5850 or click to www.ashecountychristmastrees.com.
Click to www.HighCountryPress.com for listings for all three counties.

At the Choose & Cut Farm

At the High Country’s Choose & Cut farms, you’ll find much more than just Christmas trees. Whether you have an hour or a whole afternoon to spend, here’s what you’ll find at local Choose & Cuts.

The Trees
The North Carolina High Country is a prime environment for the Fraser fir, often referred to as the “perfect” Christmas tree. Fraser firs have excellent needle retention compared with other tree species—resulting in a better-looking tree and less mess for you! Fraser firs also feature a pleasing fragrance and strong, upright branches capable of holding lights, ornaments and garland.

Christmas trees are available in a range of sizes, with heights appropriate for tiny apartments and grand banquet halls. Among the selection of thousands of trees, you’ll find trees ranging in height from tabletoppers all the way up to 15-footers.
Canaan fir and white pine trees are also available at some locations. While most farms charge for trees by the foot, at least one farm—High Country Nursery in Boone—charges a flat price, $45, for all trees regardless of size.

The Trimmings
If you can’t get enough of that fresh evergreen smell, make sure your entire home is decked out in holiday greenery. Beautifully arranged and freshly cut Fraser fir and white pine wreaths and garland are available at many of the farms.

Several farms also feature Christmas shops with ornaments, locally made crafts, bows and ribbons, centerpieces and other holiday décor. Check the brochures or websites for specific details on what each farm has to offer.

Fun Activities
As if choosing your own tree weren’t enough fun, many farms offer plenty of other activities families will enjoy. Depending on the farm, you may find alpacas, horses and other farm animals, refreshments such as hot cider and hot chocolate, beautiful mountain views and photo opportunities, hayrides, farm tours, antique farm machinery and more. And some farms will even let you bring Fido along.

Graphics: Updated Watauga and Ashe maps are in server if you want them as “design elements.” I think we have plenty of choose and cut photos—I will write cutlines if needed.