Old Time Christmas Tree Farm

[msmichellemiller]

Has anyone been to this place to get their tree? It looks like fun but I wonder how expensive it is; there are no prices listed on the website. We've never bought a real tree and wouldn't need a huge one (maybe 7ft?) but it would be nice to know what to expect to pay before we go.
http://www.oldtimechristmastree.com/index.html

[Wilson]

That's funny - I saw an ad in the Kid's Directory at the doctor's office yesterday afternoon and meant to post about it :). We've been to Christmas Tree Farms out in that area before, but I don't think that one. One was Jingle Bell something, but I think it's closed now. I've bookmarked Old Time as a possibility.

[TXrose]

I would call them, they usually have a price per ft.

Here's where we always went up until last year (kids too old to enjoy) http://www.springcreekgrowers.com/

We usually got about a 6 ft and it could be between $45 up depending on the type of tree you were choosing, it was a per ft price.

[Wilson]

Here's the website for Jingle Bell Ranch:
http://www.jinglebellranch.com/

And they are closed this year, but are directing people to the Red Caboose Christmas Tree Farm:
http://www.redcaboosefarmandchristmastrees.com/
(I'm pretty sure we went out to the Red Caboose one year...)

[msmichellemiller]

Well we visited the Old Time Christmas tree farm today. It was fun! I don't have anything to compare it too, because I've never been to one before. I thought the prices were sort of high...our 7ft Frasier fir cost $79 but it is beautiful. Maybe that's a good price, I wouldn't know. We also bought some tablets they sold there claiming to keep a tree fresh for up to 6 weeks, so we'll see how they work. There was a "train" running around the property for kids to ride, a big tall slide, playground, cows, BBQ/drinks, Xmas crafts for sale and my boys loved the tractor-ride out to the tree-cutting area. They had some already pre-cut, too. I'd definitely go back next year but I sure hope it's warmer then! We were chilly out there today!

[TXrose]

That's really not a bad price for a 7 ft tree. It's been 2 years since we cut one down but for a 6 ft we paid around $60 depending on what type of tree we cut down. It is fun when the kids enjoy going, mine have gotten to where they think they are too old to do that kind of thing so last year we started putting up an artificial tree.

[TripleA]

I'm sure you could get a better price at Home Depot or Lowes, but the experience and all the fun would not be there! I thinks it's a good price considering all they offer. We put up our artificial tree yesterday and most of the inside decorations. Wish we could do the outside today, but there's no way that will happen! I guess we will have to hope for better weather next weekend :)

[Wilson]

Hey TX - we went to Spring Creek Growers today and got a beautiful tree! I didn't want a pine, but they had Frazier and Noble Firs shipped in and still had a great selection. Thanks for the recommendation.

[Wilson]

And a picture of our Noble Fir :)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2276/2082301102_587eb374a0.jpg

[momoftwo]

We went to the Old Time Christmas Tree Farm and got a pre-cut Frasier Fur. It was pricey, but it is an 8 footer and is so full and beautiful the price was worth it!!!! We went the day after Thanksgiving and I was worried about it drying out, but after a week or two, it now needs less watering. I am also using those pills they sell. I am interested to see if it makes it to Christmas.I have never had a real tree here, so I hope it will last. Happy Holidays!

[Wilson]

I'm glad to hear that it might take less water after a while. It's been about 5 years since we had a real tree and frankly, I was never happy with the trees that we cut down (pines) ourselves. We always had trouble getting them in the stand right, finding a big bald spot when we got home, dropping tons of leaves, tipping over (2X one Christmas!), etc. I was NOT excited to go do this. We compromised and I told dh he could get a real tree again, but I wanted one of the ones that are shipped in. Then at SCG today, I let him pick out the tree, etc. I think he picked out the *perfect* tree for us and it set up very easily (we bought a new stand at Lowe's today) and doesn't have any bald spots :).

[momoftwo]

Hi Wilson. It looks beautiful to me and I hope it goes well. Did you get those pills to put in the water? They are supposed to keep it alive longer. Take care.

[msmichellemiller]

We went to the Old Time Christmas Tree Farm and got a pre-cut Frasier Fur. It was pricey, but it is an 8 footer and is so full and beautiful the price was worth it!!!! We went the day after Thanksgiving and I was worried about it drying out, but after a week or two, it now needs less watering. I am also using those pills they sell. I am interested to see if it makes it to Christmas.I have never had a real tree here, so I hope it will last. Happy Holidays!
We went the same day; same place and got the same type of tree! It is beautiful, for sure!!! Nice and full...just gorgeous, though I did think ours was pricey, too. We also bought those same tablets and I've been checking our water level everyday and really only needing to add more about as often as I need to throw in another tab---which is every 3-4 days. So far ours has not changed a bit since we brought it home so if it does continue to look good from day after Thanksgiving till after Xmas, the price is more worth it to me.

[TXrose]

Wilson I am glad they were a good place for you, we always liked going there. I put my fake douglas fir up today. I was going to decorate outside but the wet day kept me from doing so. I hope next week is better because it takes nearly all day to get it done!!!

[Wilson]

No, I didn't. I saw some kind of spray (I think it was a spray??) but I didn't ask about it and forgot about the pills. Maybe I'll see if Lowe's has some...

[Wilson]

I guess it rained here after we went out. The boys swam in the pool this morning, we harvested bananas from our mini-forest, then went to Lowe's for a tree & stuff. Lowe's took forever and their trees were badly picked over, so I logged on to TOTW from my cell and found this thread for the recommendations. We were just trying to get the farm closest to The Woodlands. So we got out there about 4:00p and home by maybe 5:30p. Dh hung up the outside lights in the dark :p. My neighbor was as well, and she came over and said something about it raining earlier.

Gotta love Texas... swimming, harvesting fruit, and putting up a Christmas tree all on the same day! In shorts! LOL!

I'll probably decorate the tree with the kids during the week...

[Wilson]

Um, I don't think we'll be buying any additives for the tree water this year. Nora just discovered a new "water dish" :rolleyes:.

[msmichellemiller]

Um, I don't think we'll be buying any additives for the tree water this year. Nora just discovered a new "water dish" :rolleyes:.

I was worried about that, too. Both with a dog and toddler! The tabs say they are non-toxic and all natural, though.

[Wilson]

The tabs say they are non-toxic and all natural, though.

That's good to know! Does the package list the ingredients? Maybe I'll try and find a recipe on the 'net. I love Google :).

[schnauzermom]

Gotta love Texas... swimming, harvesting fruit, and putting up a Christmas tree all on the same day! In shorts! LOL!

[/QUOTE]

I had to put the upstairs AC on yesterday!

We bought our first fake tree this year. I love it but my dd is very unhappy about it. My kids always suffer from really bad allergies in Dec/Jan and I'm wondering if it could have been from the real tree. I guess we'll see this year if they are better. That may help convince her that fake is just as nice as the real thing.

[msmichellemiller]

That's good to know! Does the package list the ingredients? Maybe I'll try and find a recipe on the 'net. I love Google :).
Nah, just checked the package and no ingredients listed. It just says "Naturally occurring, biodegradable ingredients. Completely safe and non-toxic"
The brand name is Forest Fresh.

[Wilson]

I found recipes!

http://www.al.com/holidays/index.ssf/2007/12/treepreservative_recipe.html

http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1922,152180-242204,00.html

(I probably won't use anything because I'm too lazy/cheap to go buy it at the store and not the homemade because of the bleach anyway...)

[msmichellemiller]

Huh...bleach? I would have thought that'd kill the tree. Weird. I get a lot of flack for all the bleach I use for cleaning at home but I wouldn't use anything else. I do wish they could make a bleach that actually smelled good, though, and not like a YMCA pool shower. (I have tried the so-called scented ones but they still just smell like bleach to me)

[Wilson]

We use a ton of bleach in the pool for Chlorine.