
Two children are shopping for a Christmas Tree at a Christmas tree farm.
By LAURI GROSS
Area Christmas Tree farms represent memories in the making and traditions to be continued or started. From no-frills operations that hand you a saw and point to the fields, to elaborate wonderlands that would be at home at the North Pole, the trees await families eager to find their holiday tree.
At OhioChristmasTree.org, plug a zip code into the farm finder tool to locate tree farms across the state. Below are some favorites. These farms provide a saw to cut the tree you choose and prohibit chain saws and axes. Most also offer fresh-cut trees and some will do the cutting for you, in their cut-your-own fields, if you ask. Most ask that you leave your dog at home but some welcome canine family members. In all cases, the staff will help bail and load trees onto customer vehicles. Visitors are encouraged to dress for the weather. Don’t forget boots and, for the person who will do the actual cutting and hauling, gloves are a necessity. Call or check websites for seasonal hours.
Bremec Garden Center (13410 Cedar Road, Cleveland Heights, 216.932.0039; 12265 Chillicothe Road, Chesterland, 440.729.2122; 7954 Painesville Ravenna Rd., Concord, 440.357.0906; Bremec.com)
With three locations, Bremec is a full-service design/build landscape company that also offers garden and plant supplies plus pottery, statuary, décor, gifts and fresh-cut Christmas trees from Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Visitors will also find wreaths and garland and a team of designers who create custom evergreen arrangements with berries and more. Bremec also stocks plenty of raw materials to inspire every DIYer seeking to create their own Christmas décor from natural items.
Heritage Farms (6050 Riverview Road, Peninsula, 330.657.2330, HeritageFarms.com)
Located on Cuyahoga Valley National Park property, this fifth-generation family farm offers cut-your-own Black Hills spruce, Scotch pine, white pine, and blue spruce. Freshly cut trees include Fraser fir, concolor fir, Black Hills spruce, white pine, Scotch pine and blue spruce. Trees are available up to 10 or even 14 feet tall. Purchase a Teddy Bear Tree (a tree with a teddy or other stuffed animal perched in it) and a portion of the purchase price goes to help dog rescue operations. Stop inside the barn where hot chocolate and cookies are available for purchase. Then warm up by the huge stone fireplace and shop for wreaths, swags, baskets, centerpieces and more. Visit Heritage Farms throughout the year for other seasonal activities, including Fairy Days, camping, and a flea market in spring and summer, plus Pumpkin Pandemonium in fall.
Pine Tree Barn (4374 Shreve Rd, Wooster, 330.264.1014, PineTreeBarn.com)
At Pine Tree Barn, find home furnishings and accessories, a restaurant, a tree farm and more. A creek runs through the 100-acre property and separates the farm into two sections. Guests can drive a little more than a mile from one area to the other or take a horse-drawn wagon ride or the Pine Tree Express Caboose to the fields. Cut your own or choose a fresh-cut tree. Varieties include Fraser fir, blue spruce, Canaan fir, Norway spruce and white pine. Find trees up to 16 feet or taller, as well as roping, garland, wreaths, swags and boughs, plus tree stands. Also, visit the Pine Tree Village for a light lunch or the Granary Restaurant for a gourmet meal. And don’t miss the 25,000-square-foot showroom brimming with 50 decorated trees, beautiful Christmas decorations and much more.
River Run Tree Farm (5620 Streeter Rd., Mantua, 330-467-6205, RiverRunTreeFarm.com)
This family business offers Scotch pine, white pine, Canaan fir, blue spruce and Norway spruce trees in a cut-your-own area as well as fresh-cut trees and a gift shop brimming with beautiful hand-made treasures. A cast-iron bell mounted on a post that welcomes visitors, is a piece of history from a family farm in Maryland. River Run charges by the foot and their trees range from about five to 11 feet in height.
Wintergreen Tree Farm (3898 Winchell Rd, Mantua, 330-221-3835, WintergreenTreeFarmOhio.com)
The Wintergreen Tree Farm is a cut-your-own Christmas tree farm and also offers pick-your-own blueberries in summer at their Hiram location (5709 Allyn Rd.) and pick-your-own chestnuts in the fall. Wintergreen is known for trees in a large variety of shapes, colors, tones and textures. Their trees range in size up to about 10 feet. Their prices are set, no matter the size: Pines are $40. Spruces are $60. Firs are $70. Wintergreen also offers handmade wreathes, pine roping and greens.
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