Is Christmas Tree farming profitable?

Question

Is christmas tree farming profitable in this time of fake tree buying or is better as a hobbie ?

Answer 1

Yes it can be profitable, however it is allot of work, and you have to buy the trees to get started.

I thought of starting a Christmas Tree farm when I first moved to my 17 acres near Cheney Wa. So I did some research and actually sent emails to other Christmas Tree farms I found online.

You have to consider many things, and in fact you should consider doing a business plan on any type of business you're interested in starting.

You'll need to find a place that sells the seedlings.

You'll need to grow them for about 2 to 5 years before you start selling them.

You have to protect them, prune them, stake them and bundle them up before a heavy snow, and water them on the hot summer days.

You need to buy some from another farm to sell while you're growing your trees.

You have to purchase items like hand saws, frost machine, wrapping system (which i understand you can build out of a 55 gallon drum), and build a stand where people will pay you.

You will need to preserve some trees so that they grow taller since you're paid by the foot.

Something else to consider is having a full time job the rest of the year until you're able to sell your crop.

Don't forget the rein deer, and petting zoo. Got to keep the kids interested while mom and dad are choosing a tree. Besides, you'll make allot of money just selling a handful of feed for 50 cents, which you poured into a paper bag the previous night. Can you sit there filling 100 bags of feed? Wha'ts that, like $50 for a $10 bag of feed? Not bad.

Of course that feed money is going to go into your advertising in the newspapers, and don't forget your web site. If you build it, they won't come unless you can get it in the search engines. But you've got a few years to do that.

That's about all I remember from the top of my head.

Good luck, and yes it can be profitable! Anything is if you're willing to work at it.

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Is Christmas Tree farming profitable?
Is christmas tree farming profitable in this time of fake tree buying or is better as a hobbie ?

Answer 3

Bird Oasis pretty much covers it.

It is a lot of work, and is seasonal-intensive: you'll be nonstop busy from Thanksgiving till Christmas Eve. It will NOT bring enough money to support you, however (one assumes you do not want an army of seasonal workers), so your regular job should also be seasonal.

It works well for those who farm, and live in a climate conducive to the more desirable Xmas trees.

A major point is exactly what you plant. Scotch pine is popular and fast growing but needs pruning to attain a saleable bushiness. Ultra-desirable trees such as blue spruce take FOREVER to mature. Norway spruce makes a gorgeous living or cut tree, but also takes a long time to take off (but once their root system is settled, they grow very fast).

As a side business, you can plant other evergreens for sale as fresh cut greens for wreaths and the such. You can use trashier trees for this.

Answer 4

Forget the walnut, slow and you have deal with all the crazy pods that drop to the ground. I would go for apple and pear trees. You get the profit all year long with self pick fruit sales and then sell the wood for smoking-Bar B Qs :) Also, the curly willow is a big winner because they grow fast, are a hardy tree and people spend a fortune on buying the decorative branches!

Answer 5

Yes they can make a ton of money selling trees. The place near my parent's home has grown and expanded every year. They do quite well. Trees are a low maintenance crop once they are planted, just the occasional mowing between the rows and a trim to keep them in the right shape.

Answer 6

i think it is kinda profitable if you grow the right trees but as of myself i prefer a fake blue spruce that is what we use in the family but i am just saying that if you use a real tree you will have to buy one every year but with a fake tree you can use for as long as you please but only this will happen if it is taken care of. The best of luck with your question.

Answer 7

hobbie

I haven't bought a real tree since 1995

Answer 8

That's an interesting question

Answer 9

People would not grow xmas trees if they lost money doing it.

Answer 10

A real tree is much nicer...