The leaves are on the ground and the pumpkins have been thrown out, composted or smashed. It’s time to look for a Christmas tree.
Unfortunately, many area tree farms are reporting limited supplies again this year.
Tim O’Connor, executive director of the National Christmas Tree Association, said the supply of trees remains as tight as it has been since 2016.
“But there are enough trees for everyone who wants one to be able to get one,” he said. “There will be enough trees.”
Illinois isn’t a very substantial Christmas tree growing state, he said. A cut-your-own tree farm’s tree supply is dependent on what was planted eight to 10 years ago, he said.
“That’s a tough part of Christmas tree farming — to plant 10 years out and be accurate,” he said.
He recommends that people who want a real, farm-grown Christmas tree to shop early in the season and be open to trying different types of trees.
The buying of trees has shifted to a week earlier because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.
“In 2020 … most people were at home, if they could be,” he said. “When Christmas season rolled around, they wanted to get a tree because it was viewed by consumers as a safe, outdoor, fun activity they could do when they hadn’t been able to do much.”
Many of the Association’s members are also pumpkin farm growers and told them that their pumpkin season was “gangbusters,” he said, so they knew Christmas was potentially going to be huge. And it was.
“Our members who have what we call choose and cut farms … have a nice, strong engagement with their customer base and they were just run over with ‘When are you opening?’ ‘I want to come get a tree.’ ‘Can you open early?’ So they opened early,” he said.
“Typically, Black Friday is the opening day of Christmas season. In 2020, they opened the weekend before. 2020 pushed the Christmas buying season forward a week. Many of our growers opened the week before Thanksgiving and between that week and the week of Thanksgiving itself, it was basically over. The rush hit our growers. They told us they had never experienced that kind of early demand before. And it stuck.”
They have continued to advise consumers to shop early because he thinks the trend of buying a tree early isn’t going anywhere. The earlier you shop, the more tree care is required to keep a live tree that way through Dec. 25. He recommends keeping the water fresh and keeping the tree away from a heat source, he said.
“We’ve been selling in the neighborhood of 20 million trees every year for quite a few years now and there will be 20 million trees out there again this year,” he said. “We don’t want people to think they can’t get a tree, they can.
“But because some places won’t have as many trees as they could potentially sell, when they’re done and closed, people who might’ve gone there to shop on Dec. 15 might have to go somewhere else because that particular farm might be done by then.”
Here are some area tree farms in Illinois and Northwest Indiana. It’s a good idea to check the website or call to see if what you want is available and to check on their farm’s rules.
Aurora
Abbey Tree Farm: Open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. daily to Dec. 23. You-cut Scotch and white pine trees cost $70-$74. At 2855 Hart Road. 630-966-7775; abbeyfarms.org.
Guests must make a reservation online to cut down a tree or pick up a precut one. Due to demand, guests are limited to cutting trees that are 5-to-7 feet in height only. There are no fir trees in the fields; only pines and spruces.
Saws are available to borrow for $10, refundable upon return. Shaking and baling is free. Santa will be at the farm Dec. 3-4 and Dec. 10-11; reservations must be made online and cost $19.99 per person.
Cary
Pine-Apple Farm: Open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 25-27 and Dec. 3-4; call for availability after that. Trees cost $80 for pines; $100 for spruces and firs. Precut Fraser firs are 7-to-12 feet tall and priced by height. At 309 Three Oaks Road. 847-639-3248; pine-applefarm.com.
Hand saws and twine provided; no gas chain saws allowed. Shaking and baling included. Cash and checks preferred.
Harvard
Ben’s Christmas Tree Farm: Open 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Nov. 25-27 and Dec. 3-4. Pines start at $46 ($7 per foot with 6.5 foot minimum). Firs and spruces start at $84 ($13 per foot with 6.5 foot minimum). At 7719 Ryan Road. 630-279-0216; benstreefarm.com.
This tree farm has eight varieties of spruces, firs and pines ranging from 6 to 12 feet tall. Trees are grown using organic farming practices and are pesticide-free. Free shaking and baling and use of hand saws. Tractor and horse-drawn wagon rides run from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., weather permitting. Cash or check only.
Lake Villa
Sullivan Family Christmas Tree Farm: Open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 25-27 and Dec. 3-4. You-cut trees cost $60. At 24774 W. Petite Lake Road. Cash and check only. 847-989-3092; facebook.com and search Sullivan Family Christmas Tree Farm.
White pine, white spruce and Scotch pine available for you-cut. Free wagon rides to the fields.
Gengel Tree Farm: Open 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 25-27 and weekends; additionally open from 12-4 p.m. Fridays, until fresh-cut trees are sold out. Trees are $70-$185 depending on tree type and size. At 38614 N. Fairfield. 847-356-5661; facebook.com/GengelTreeFarm.
They sell pre-cut Balsam, Canaan and Fraser firs as well as wreaths and kissing balls. A limited number of Scotch and White pines are available for you-cut.
Lily Lake
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Lee’s Trees: Open 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Nov. 25-27 and weekends to Dec. 19 or until sold out. Average cost of you-cut trees is $80. At 45W002 Lees Road. 630-365-2116; leestreesusa.com.
Available for you-cut are Scotch pine, white pine, Canaan fir, Fraser fir, Balsam fir and Serbian and Norway spruce ranging from 4 to 8 feet. Precut trees are grown and harvested at their Wisconsin farms and include Balsam fir ($80-$85), Fraser fir ($110-$140) and white pine ($75-$80). Use of saws is provided; shaking and baling is free. Many fresh holiday decorations are available.
McHenry
Pioneer Tree Farm: Open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 25-27 and Dec. 3-4. Trees cost $80; cash and check only. At 4616 Pioneer Road. 815-385-8512; pioneertreefarm.net.
This farm offers a selection of pines, spruces, cedar and firs. Wagon rides and shaking and baling free; hand saws are provided. The warming house will be open with crafts for sale.
Sandwich
Larson’s Family Farm: Open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 25; after that 2-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. weekends through Dec. 11. Closed Mondays and during rain or snow. All trees cost $55. At 4404 Somonauk Road. 815-786-2249; larsonfamilyfarm.com.
Varieties of cut-your-own trees include Canaan fir, white pine, Concolor fir (limited supply), Blue and Norway spruce and Scotch pine. Shaking and baling and saws are provided. The heated barn store will have homemade treats and gifts for sale. Cash or check only.
Spring Grove
Richardson Tree Farm: Open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily Nov. 25 to Dec. 4 for cut your own and precut; Dec. 5-11 precut only. Trees $29-$79. At 9407 Richardson Road. 815-675-9729; richardsonadventurefarm.com.
They will be selling cut-your-own Christmas trees and precut Fraser and Canaan firs for a limited time and then precut trees only until Dec. 11 or while supplies last. Free wagon rides to the fields. Saws and shaking and baling included. Fresh wreaths and decorations for sale.
Wilmington
Tammen Tree Berry Farm: Open 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily beginning Nov. 25. Last day is to be determined. Cost is $65 per tree; shaking and baling $7. At 37131 Essex Road. 815-458-6264; facebook.com/TammenTreeberryFarm.
This is one of the largest choose-and-cut Christmas tree farms in Illinois with around 160 acres of Christmas trees; including Douglas, Canaan and Fraser firs and Scotch and white pines.
Woodstock
Grandpa’s Christmas Tree Farm: Open 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Nov. 25-27 and Dec. 3-4 and 10-11. Trees cost $80. At 13616 Illinois 176. 815-337-2682; grandpastreefarm.com.
There are several dozen varieties of trees to choose from and most are in the 5-to-6 feet tall range. Shaking and baling included.
Northwest Indiana
LaPorte
McClure Christmas Tree Farm: Open 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 25 and weekends to Dec. 19 as supplies last. Trees cost $75-$145. At 4677 N. 525 W. 219-363-5878; mcclurechristmastrees.com.
There will be a limited supply of trees this season. They will have hay rides to and from the field and free shaking and baling. Wreaths, kissing balls and other decorations for sale.
Hamlet
Hensler Nursery: Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 25-Dec. 18. Pines cost $42.06 and firs run $57.94-$ $140.19. At 5715 N. 750 E. 574-867-4192; henslernurseryindiana.com.
They specialize in white and Scotch pines and Fraser fir ranging 5-to-8 feet. Precut trees in the lot are up to 8 feet. Shaking and baling is free. Santa will be in his workshop Nov. 25-27 and weekends to Dec. 18. Food vendors will sell coffee, kettle corn, doughnuts and soft pretzels Nov. 25 and weekends.
Rolling Prairie
Dudeck’s Pine Country: Open 9 a.m. until dark Nov. 25-Dec. 18. Tree prices are between $46.73-$308.41. At 9255 N. 300 E. 219-778-4805; dudeckspinecountry.com.
Cut-your-own trees include white Pine, Norway spruce and Canaan and Fraser firs. Free shaking and baling; saws provided. Wreaths and decorations for sale. Santa and the horse drawn wagon rides available from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. weekends to Dec. 11.
Wanatah
Guse Christmas trees: Open 12-4:30 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekends and Nov. 25 to Dec. 4. Closed Thanksgiving Day. Trees cost $10 per foot. At 6177 W 1450 S. 219-733-9346; gusechristmastrees.com.
Fraser and Douglas firs are available for cut-your-own. Shaking and baling is free. They will sell wreaths and decorations and the craft shop will have many items for sale. Santa will be out from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 19-20 and 27-29. Belgian horse-drawn wagon rides free on the weekends.
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Wheatfield
Lee’s Trees: Open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Nov. 25-26; then 12-6 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and 9-6 p.m. Saturdays leading up to Christmas. Closed Sundays. Prices for cut-your-own $40 and precut firs start at $70. Cash and check only. At 15284 N 300 W. 219-869-8573; facebook.com/leevvtrees.
They sell cut-your-own pines and precut firs from Michigan. All trees are shaken, baled and tied or brought to your vehicle free of charge. They also sell handmade wreaths and grave decorations.
Annie Alleman is a freelance reporter for the Beacon-News.