The Bovine Bugle

The Christmas tree crew sets up camp

Saturday morning we loaded the wagon with tools, signs, kids, and Yukon (the dog) and headed down the road to the Christmas trees. We plant the seedlings in an old hayfield behind my brother's house, about a 1/4 mile from our house and the barns. We went prepared to stay until 4 that afternoon.

We put out our signs near the parking area, and then drove up the woods road to the site in the trees where we set up camp. Our campsite is an over grown stonepile on the edge of the hayfield, about a 1/3 of the way up the field of planted trees. We unloaded the tools, cleaned up the campfire area, and then collected wood for the fire. Soon we had the fire going, just in time for the arrival of Karen with lunch. Hot dogs always taste best roasted over an open fire.

We kept ourselves busy building up the firewood pile, knocking snow off the marketable trees, and trimming brush and branches in and around the Christmas trees.

Above: Yukon gets worn out by the end of the long day waiting for Tree-buying customers!

My brother's girls, Emily and Maddy, came up with their dad and helped stoke the campfire and played with my boys in the woods surrounding the Christmas trees. We did sell one tree around 3:30 in the afternoon. The boys helped the customers load the tree into the wagon, and we gave them a ride back to the parking area where we loaded the tree into the back of their truck. Christmas tree season had begun!!

--Jonathan, Howmars Farm
Franklin, Vermont

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Posted by Blogger Chris at December 6, 2005 09:32 PM