Looking for a large Christmas tree?

We've just cut down a magnificent 15 feet high Nordman Fir. If you need a large tree, this is the one to have. On sale from tomorrow.

Nordman Fir or Norway Spruce Christmas Tree

Which type of Christmas tree are you going to buy this year?

Nordman Fir

The most popular trees we sell are the Nordman firs with their deep green, glossy foliage that hardly drops. You must expect to sweep up some needles, but you won’t get the bare branch that sometimes occurs with a Norway Spruce that gets knocked and brushed against. Some Nordman Firs grow very wide, but it’s easy enough to trim them and we also sell Fraser Firs, which aren't quite as wide as the Nordman.

Traditionalists still choose the Norway Spruce with their wonderful smell and a good compact shape. The downside is that they don’t hang onto their needles unless you look after them, which means keeping your tree well watered and not brushing past it too often. They are ideal trees for displaying outside or in a room without too much through traffic.

From 1st December we will be selling cut trees and also pot grown and potted trees with prices starting at £15.

Measuring up for the Christmas Tree

With December fast approaching, it's time to think about your Christmas tree. Before you set off to buy your tree, you need to measure your room. I know it sounds obvious but trees that seem small in a barn can look enormous when you get them home.

So measure the ceiling height and deduct a few centimetres for the height of the stand. What do you put on the top of your tree? Make sure there's enough space between the top of the tree and the ceiling to show off your star, fairy or angel rather than bending over the top of the tree and squashing your angel.

It’s a good idea to measure the width of the space as well as some trees are very wide.



We open for Christmas Trees on Thursday 1st December.

Looking for the Christmas Fairy

The local nursery school have been to get their Christmas tree. Every year they search for the Christmas fairy perched in the tree, which involves a circuitous route past the ducks and pigs and around the Christmas trees.

 After some searching and calling, the Christmas fairy is found perching in a tree that after a bit of measuring proves to be the exact size they need and "the farmer" wields his saw to cut down the tree and then carry it back to the barn.

After a little more measuring and debate about how the Christmas tree will fit in the car to be taken back to school, the matter is resolved by putting it through the netting machine.

Christmas tree shortage?

Norway Spruce

Did you hear this week that large Christmas trees are going to be expensive? Every year the newspapers seem to run a story about either a shortage of trees or an increase in prices and customers arrive at the farm expecting the worst, only to find that it's service as normal.

In October we start taking orders for large trees over 8 feet high that go to churches, schools and businesses and our regular customers who need large trees tend to come in the first week of December to pick out their tree as we usually sell out of the biggest trees by the middle of the month.

Most of our customers ask for a 6 feet high Nordman fir tree and we're going to have masses of those together with stands, wreaths, garlands and decorations. So don't panic.

To find out more about our trees check out our Christmas Tree pages.

November jobs

We open for retail Christmas tree sales on 1^st December and have spent this week getting the barn ready.

In the plantation, large trees have been selected and tagged for local schools and businesses and the first tree has been cut down and delivered. 

Meanwhile, Arthur and Albert the two Gloucestershire Olds Spots pigs relax in the autumn sunshine.

Chinese lanterns

Are you a lover or hater of Chinese lanterns? Yes, they briefly look pretty as they drift away on the night air. But nobody releases a lantern and follows it as it floats away so that they can retrieve it. It's just long distance littering.

We've been picking them up on the farm this week where they've snagged in the hedge or lie in the middle of the field flapping about like a giant condom.

And we check the paddocks to make sure there's none lying around for the horses or pigs to eat. Not nice to have a piece of wire rupture their insides.

In case you hadn't guessed, I'm in the hate camp. To find out more about the lanterns, read the e-petition to ban the use and sale of Chinese lanterns