Monday, September 22, 2008

Staying busy year round

We're gearing back up for another fall on the farm. It's always busy this time of year with the Pumpkin Hunt in October and Christmas tree season during the holidays. But truth be told, we're working on the farm all year round. Here are some of the things we do during the off season:

1. In January we plant new seedlings in the fields. We plant a new tree seedling for each tree that was cut during the holiday season - and often plant more than were cut down the previous year. These trees will take 4-6 years to grow until they're ready for your family again.
2. In the spring we offer school tours on Texas History. Not only was the former town of Hogeye located on parts of our farm, but the Chisolm Trail was nearby. We love to share the history of this land with students learning about the history of this great state.
3. We spend many long hours in our garden growing vegetables and fruits for our family to eat.
4. We travel around Texas and the country attending conferences on real Christmas trees. We meet with other growers to discuss new farming techniques, marketing ideas, ways to improve the farm and more. We love hearing new ideas and making the farm the best experience for your family.
5. We do a lot of mowing! With over 40 acres, you can imagine how much grass needs to be mowed. Thank goodness we have riding lawnmowers!
6. We sheer the trees twice a year. This involves going to each tree and trimming the limbs to help retain the traditional shape of the Christmas tree.
7. We irrigate the trees. During hot summers like we've experienced this year, it's important that the trees get enough water.
8. We play disc golf (okay - our son Chris plays disc golf). Did you know there was a disc golf course here on the farm? You're more than welcome to come play, just make sure you call us first. The 9-hole course will be set up for your enjoyment during the Pumpkin Hunt - make sure to check it out.
9. We make small improvements - look for the updated model train by the gift shoppe when you visit this fall.
10. We relax and enjoy the beauty of the farm and all our hard work.

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