It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
Be it the recent snowfall or the glitter and glow of storefronts, Geauga County has officially entered the holiday season — and its tree farms are at the ready.
“We definitely have seen some of the same families coming back year after year,” said Bob Rogish, owner of Rogish Farm in Chester Township. “Christmas time is a season of joy and we are happy to be a small part of families’ holiday festivities with a beautiful tree in their homes.”
Rogish currently sells precut Fraser fir, Canaan fir, and blue spruce trees at Patterson Fruit Farm on Caves Road, where, since 2010, they’ve rented the space from the Pattersons.
The Christmas trees and greens are located at Patterson Fruit Farm from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
“Our tree farm is still growing,” Rogish said. “We hope to offer cut your own in just a couple more years here on the Rogish Farm’s (Tannenbaums Christmas Trees business). Private photo sessions are big here right now with our old farm truck and sleigh. We are well known for our beautiful backdrop of our sunflower fields in the summer and Christmas photo opportunities complement the sunflowers just right in the winter.”
On a recent Saturday morning, families gathered for privately pre-scheduled photo sessions at Rogish Farm as rows and rows of growing Christmas trees became the backdrop for new future family memories.
“We are a local farm that is still growing and with the help of our family and friends. we hope to bring joy to everyone this holiday season with real trees and fresh greenery,” Rogish said.
His added his farm has an excellent relationship with a Fraser fir grower just over the Pennsylvania line off U.S. Route 6, with the Canaan firs and Blue spruces coming from their own farm on Mulberry Road.
“We also have a beautiful selection of wreaths, door swags and pine roping for folks to fully decorate for the holiday season,” Rogish said.
According to the American Christmas Tree Association, “Roughly 75% of U.S. households displayed a Christmas tree in 2021. Nearly 6.5 million households opted to put up both a real Christmas tree and an artificial tree last year.”
While will be no shortage of real trees to decorate, like most consumer goods this year, families will likely pay a little more for their trees.
“Fans of real Christmas trees say they believe the trees are worth the prices and they are willing to pay more this year if necessary to get one,” said Marsha Gray, executive director of the Real Christmas Tree Board, in a recent Fox News Consumer article.
The North Corner Farm on Butternut Road in Burton is a family-owned and operated choose-and-cut farm business supplemented with fresh-cut trees.
“Every year, we replant all the trees that were cut for Christmas trees and in mid-June, most of the trees are trimmed and shaped,” said Owner Mary Lou Wolfram. ”It takes about eight to 10 years to grow the trees large enough for harvesting. Evergreens trees supply sustainable oxygen throughout the year.”
Wolfram said they have about 200 trees available in their field this year, with an additional 150 pre-cut Frazier firs, as well.
Because of inflation, there will be some price increases, mainly due to increases in diesel fuel, a big portion of their operating costs, Wolfram said
“We enjoy serving the many families that come each year filled with joy and anticipation of finding the perfect tree,” Wolfram said. “We provide all the services needed to cut the tree in the field, bring it back to be netted, and then put in or on their vehicle tied down so they will have a safe journey home. Before returning home, we provide delicious hot chocolate and homemade sugar cookies.”
Jane Neubauer, owner of Sugar Pine Farm in Chester Township, said they will have more trees available this year than in the past few years.
“We will have over 4,000 trees available this year between our fields and fresh pre-cuts,” Neubauer said. “The most popular tends to be the Fraser fir because it’s a tree that most people know — it smells amazing, holds its needles very well and has that classic Christmas tree look.
“We will have about the same number in our fields available to cut,” Neubauer added. “But, we also bring in trees from other farms to provide more variety for our customers in terms of species and sizes. Plus, not everyone likes to cut a tree down themselves, so we have trees already cut, ready to go. We are bringing in more trees this year than last, including some beautiful Noble and Nordmann firs, which are new for us.”
Neubauer said in general, across the country, inflation has affected all products and services — Christmas trees and related products are no exception.
“Our input costs, as tree growers, have definitely increased this year, with the most significant ones being fuel, fertilizer, labor and delivery/trucking,” she said. “For perspective, the prices for our trees will be up on average about 5-10%. Some will be more than that, especially really big trees, and some are unchanged.”
This is their 11th season owning the farm.
“We have some customers who have become like family,” Neubauer said. “The farm has been here for close to 40 years and we love the stories of people who have been coming here since we were kids. A visit to a tree farm really is all about the experience, whether you are cutting a tree down or not. In general, you don’t need to bring a thing other than your camera. We provide the saws, sleds, twine and scenery.”
