Christmas On The Tree Farm: Exploring WNY’s U-Pick Tradition

November 12, 2020

Local tree farmers lovingly spend decades caring for and growing evergreen trees for families to enjoy at holiday time.

by Katie Johnson

Protecting the tradition of the evergreen tree has more benefits than just preserving that iconic, seasonal feeling

Oh, Christmas Tree(s)

How lovely are your branches? The tradition originating during the 16th century German Renaissance, Christmas trees were once adorned with “roses” made of colored paper, apples, wafers and tinsel, but the tree itself may have been the thing to marvel at all along—taking over a decade to grow and harvest.

“From the time you put a seedling in the ground . . . it takes eight to ten years before you can harvest that tree,” explains Ann Zywiczynski, Owner of Country Pine Tree Farm in Holland, NY alongside her husband, Ray.

” … people who don’t normally get out to see a farm walk around a little bit, maybe in the snow . . . and select the tree and breathe good fresh air.”

“Some people think you just put the tree in the ground, let it grow and walk away from it. I mean there is, I think, every month something to do . . . there’s always equipment that has to be worked on . . . then it comes to the spring and there’s a regular cycle where you have to plant the seedlings and then you start the trimming. There’s grass cutting that you have to do around it because the grass has the diseases in it. There’s always something to do.”

Family Tradition

Like the families who come to create holiday memories, for most local tree farmers their family has upheld a tradition of nurturing land. “Apparently, my husband planned this when he was in third grade,” laughed Sharon Crossen, Co-Owner of Crossen Christmas Tree Farm in Basom, NY. “He did a report on starting a Christmas tree farm . . . so he always had it in the back of his mind . . . we planted trees in 1989 and we didn’t start selling until about 1999.”

Purchasing the farmland from Rob’s grandfather who owned it for many years, the family now plants trees on approximately six acres with the next generation pitching in at holiday time. “We have our three children and their spouses helping out.”

That Holiday Feeling

For Christmas tree farmer and President of the local Christmas Tree Farm Association, John Blasz, protecting the tradition of the evergreen tree has more benefits than just preserving that iconic, seasonal feeling.

Few things can get you in the Christmas spirit like finding the perfect tree

“Our goals are to promote the real Christmas tree. Educate the public about the purchase of real trees . . . they create oxygen . . . for the farmers and for the area it helps the economy . . . it also provides, I think, a place for people at Christmas time.” shares John.

“It’s a wonderful time of the year, you see a lot of smiles . . . you invite these people who don’t normally get out to see a farm to come, walk around a little bit, maybe in the snow . . . and select the tree and breathe good fresh air.”

Western New York U-Pick Christmas Tree Farms

From Buffalo to Rochester, enjoy finding your family’s perfect tree at any of the region’s 30 idyllic u-pick Christmas Tree Farms.

1. Tim Buhr’s Christmas Trees

Address: 6771 N Canal Rd, Lockport, NY 14094

2. Treetop Acres, Inc.

Address: 3936 Lower Mountain Rd, Lockport, NY 14094

3. Blasz Tree Farm

Address: 9178 Sisson Hwy, Eden, NY 14057

4. Anthony’s Christmas Trees

Address: 4175 Johnson Rd, Lockport, NY 14094

5. Evergreen Hills Christmas Trees

Address: 7586 Vermont Hill Rd, Holland, NY 14080

6. Kathy & Jerry’s Christmas Trees

Address: 1731 Gowans Rd, Angola, NY 14006

7. Crossen Christmas Tree Farm

Address: 1198 Judge Rd, Basom, NY 14013

8. Erway’s Christmas Tree Adventure

Address 4202 Willow Rd, Wilson, NY 14172

9. Almeters Tree Farm

Address: 2764 Dutch Hollow Rd, Strykersville, NY 14145

10. Country Pine Farms

Address: 11996 Humphries Hill Rd, Holland, NY 14080

11. Stoney Acres Tree Farm

Address: 2110 Hess Rd, Appleton, NY 14008

12. Hill’s Christmas Tree Farm

Address: 13214 Belscher Rd, Springville, NY 14141

13. Dixieland Tree Farm

Address: 12189 Versailles-Silver Creek Rd, Irving, NY 14081

14. Windy Meadow Tree Farm

Address: 1215 W Sweden Rd, Brockport, NY 14420

15. Trevett Tree Farm

Address: 13028 Trevett Rd, Springville, NY 14141

16. Jurek Plantations

Address: 6600 Strickler Rd, Clarence, NY 14031

17. Forevergreens

Address: 11398 Bolton Rd, Springville, NY 14141

18. Shelter Tree Farm

Address: 423 W Sweden Rd, Brockport, NY 14420

19. Sonricker Christmas Trees

Address: 2997 Sonricker Rd, Attica, NY 14011

20. Bird Haven Christmas Tree Farm

Address: 4327 Wilder Rd, Warsaw, NY 14569

21. Wilbert’s Tree Farm

Address: 1325 Salt Rd, Webster, NY 14580

22. Mountain Ash Tree Farm

Address: 1340 Maiden Ln, Rochester, NY 14626

23. Pete’s Tree Farm

Address: 650 Paul Rd, Rochester, NY 14624

24. Erie Way Tree Farm

Address: 4770 S Holley Rd, Holley, NY 14470

25. Victor Christmas Tree Farm

Address: 1619 Murray Rd, Victor, NY 14564

26. McPherson Orchards & Christmas Tree Farm

Address: 7957 Oatka Trail, Le Roy, NY 14482

27. Grzenda Farm

Address: 3222 Poplar Hill Rd, Livonia, NY 14487

28. Roth’s Hillside Tree Farm

Address: 182 N Main St, Holland, NY 14080

29. Hellaby Hillside Farm

Address: 800 Ballantyne Rd, Scottsville, NY 14546

30. William’s Christmas Tree Farm

Address: 1056 Cheese Factory Rd, Honeoye Falls, NY 14472

What do you think of our WNY Christmas Tree Farm Guide? Have a favorite location on our list? Know a great one that we missed? Let us know.

Let's do this again, shall we?

Let us do the ground work. Get our weekly newsletters and partner updates delivered right to your inbox, twice a week. We have weekly giveaways and will keep you up-to-date on all the latest and greatest around Buffalo Niagara. Hope to see you there!