Going Live: Families seek out fresh cut Christmas trees

Nov. 26—Hilltop Tree Farm opened for the holiday season on Friday and families are continuing their own traditions and memories of purchasing a real tree for Christmas.

Dennis Duke, owner of the farm, said they had been staying busy Friday morning and that the crowd was manageable compared to two years ago.

"It's a little slower, but opening day right after the pandemic, we knew it was going to be crowded because everyone had been boxed up," he said. "We had the gate closed at 8 a.m. that Friday morning and the girl opening the gate said cars were lined up. We had 25 cars on the highway lined up to get in. We sold almost a third of our trees that day."

The farm is keeping the Christmas feeling alive for many community members from picking out a tree to carrying it home and setting it up.

"The plastic [trees] have no smell to them," Duke said. "Most of the time, the kids come and they like to pick out the tree. They just enjoy coming to the farm."

Duke said the farm specializes in Norway Spruce and White Pine trees. He began planting trees when he was a member of 4-H approximately 50-60 years ago along Highway 431.

"I've just always liked planting pine trees. I thought it was neat," he said. "We opened the farm in 1983 but I was growing Christmas trees before that. At least since 1980."

Shelly Blythe said she and her family moved to the country four years ago.

"Once we moved to the country we started getting real trees," she said. "We've been here for the past four Christmases to get a tree."

Blythe said she likes that the real trees are bigger and more robust and enjoys the smell of them.

"We come the day after Thanksgiving to get our tree," she said. "This place is a great establishment and a great place for country people and the owners are wonderful. They do a great job and their trees are well-groomed."

Cate Hinton and she and her friend, Courtney, bring their children to the farm to choose a tree.

"We usually pick out a tree the weekend after Thanksgiving," she said. "We've done that for close to 10 years now."

Hinton said she enjoys having a real Christmas tree and grew up with them and that it feels more like Christmas with one. She has passed that tradition down to her children.

"I let them voice their opinions and sometimes I go with it and sometimes I don't," she said. "We prefer a more round, plump tree and my daughter, Piper, thinks she always needs to find the one, but sometimes we go with my daughter Hattie's choice."

As much as she loves Christmas, Hinton said she does not begin decorating and preparing for the holiday until after Thanksgiving.

"This is the get up and go for our Christmas season every year," she said.

Hilltop Tree Farm is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. The farm is located at 8023 Mt. Zion Church Road in Philpot. For more information, call 270-684-6476.