Tree farms ready for business
Thanksgiving has come and gone, and the Black Friday shopping rush is a thing of the past. Now it is time to select the perfect Christmas tree.
Not just any old tree will do; each Christmas, the search is on to find the perfect shape, height, smell and color.
The Christmas tree becomes more than a symbol of the holidays. It is a central gathering point throughout the holiday season as families come together to decorate it and spend time with one another in the soft glow of the lights. On the tree hang mementos of Christmases past and the promise of the one to come.
Many families have traditions when it comes to selecting a tree. Some people return to the same location year after year to pick their tree, others attempt to put it up on the same day whether that be the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve. For many, picking a tree means spending the day at a Christmas tree farm, drinking cider, taking hay rides, making wreaths and singing Christmas carols.
In Aiken County, there are many locations selling Christmas trees; however, there are only two tree farms inside the county limits - Sweet Water Tree Farm LLC located in Windsor and Tom Sawyer's Christmas Trees in Monetta. Both offer patrons the chance to choose and cut their own trees straight from the farm.
"Some people have been very price conscious this year while others are treating themselves to exactly the tree they want without looking at the price," said Sandra Wohlers, owner of Sweet Water Tree Farm.
Trees on her farm are available in all sizes and shapes starting at $19.99. Sweet Water Tree Farm opened on State Park Road between highways 302 and 78 in 2002 by Wohlers and Scott Eurban. When you arrive at the farm, a sign reads, "This is a Christmas Tree Farm; feel free to breath deeply."
"I have always been a tree hugger," laughed Wohlers. "Nine years ago when I bought the land, it had been logged, and it was a mess. ... Some people feel guilty for buying fresh trees, but they are like vegetables, like corn. They are grown as a crop to be cut."
When Wohlers began growing Christmas trees, she knew she wanted to keep her farm as green as possible. No herbicides, pesticides or artificial colorant are sprayed on the trees. Another thing Sweet Water Tree Farm does differently is the method of care for the fresh-cut trees.
In addition to locally grown U-Cut trees including the Virginia pine, red cedar, Carolina cypress and Leyland varieties, Sweet Water Tree Farm carries a selection of fresh-cut trees brought in from Michigan including Fraser fir, Scotch pine, Douglas fir, Korean fir and Concolors.
"Trees are like fresh flowers; once they are cut, they need water and to be kept where it is relatively cool," said Wohlers. "All of our fresh-cut trees are kept in water. We even have two varieties guaranteed by the grower in Michigan, so if there is a problem, they just bring it back here."
No matter where you buy your Christmas tree this holiday season, it is a time to make memories and share the spirit of the season with family and friends.
For more information on South Carolina Christmas Tree Farms, visit the South Carolina Christmas Tree Association at http://scchristmastrees.org.
You may reach Sweet Water Tree Farm LLC at (803) 617-9374 and Tom Sawyer's Christmas Trees at (803) 685-7604.
Contact Rachel Johnson at rjohnson@aikenstandard.com.