Evergreen Farms Christmas Trees

Trees for Troops

2009-11-11T21:00:00.005-06:00

Happy Veterans Day to all veterans that have or are currently serving our country. In honor of Veterans Day today, we'd like to make sure you know about our Trees for Troops program. Trees for Troops is a national program organized by the nonprofit ChristmasSPIRITFoundation that provides real Christmas trees to troops around the USA and overseas.

While our farm will not be providing trees this year, we will be collecting money to help pay for the program. Every penny you donate goes directly to the program. There are two ways you can donate while you're at our farm:

1. You can find a donation jar in the gift shop when you check out.

2. You can donate $1 to color a Christmas tree and write a message out to the troops, which will be delivered to the troops. We will have more information about this soon.

Make sure to follow @Trees4Troops on Twitter for updated information on the Trees for Troops program throughout the season.

Rockin' Pumpkin Finale

2009-10-29T22:02:00.003-05:00

This weekend we are closing out our 9th season of the Pumpkin Hunt. We're excited to finish this season with a bang - or a band! The Soulphonics and Patty Finney to be exact.Come out on Sunday to the Rockin' Pumpkin Finale for live music, fall games, wagon rides and a great cause. Half of the proceeds of ticket sales on Sunday will benefit the Dell Children's Hospital. It's free admission and you can pick and choose which fall games you want to play ($2 a ticket).

Schedule:*

1 p.m. - Farm opens and fall games begin

2 p.m. - The Soulphonics play

3 p.m. - Patty Finney plays

5 p.m. - Pumpkin Hunt officially ends for 2009

* - Don't forget it's day light savings. So make sure to set your clocks back an hour!

Pumpkin Dog Treats

2009-10-25T19:44:00.005-05:00

We love dogs at Evergreen Farms (as long as they're on a leash). And dogs love being out at the farm too. The fresh air, all the new smells and of course getting to visit with the donkey and goats. It's a fun, yet exhausting time for them. So after they leave the farm dog tired, go home and make them some pumpkin doggie treats! Perfect for this time of year. One of our favorite food blogs - Delish - recently posted this recipe:

Pumpkin Dog Treats

1 1/2 cup wheat flour

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well. Scoop a teaspoon of dough and roll into a ball. If dough is too sticky, sprinkle with a little flour. Place balls on baking sheet and press flat with fork, criss-crossing horizontally and vertically until cookies are uniform in thickness. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. Let cool competely before giving to your dog.

Yields about 5 dozen 1 inch treats.

Our Hard Work is Worth It

2009-10-21T21:29:00.004-05:00

After months of preparations to get the farm ready for the Pumpkin Hunt, it's nice to finally get to enjoy the fruits of our labor. The families this past weekend got to experience the farm with some of the best weather we've ever had during Pumpkin Hunt. We're hoping it's the same weather this coming weekend, too!

Oh my gourd!

2009-10-08T19:57:00.002-05:00

We may not have gigantic pumpkins that weights 1725 lbs like this couple in Ohio...but we do have plenty of pumpkins ready for your picking. The Pumpkin Hunt begins this Saturday and the weather is supposed to be beautiful. Come out and enjoy the fresh air of the country, explore the farm with your family and pick up a pumpkin or two.

Pumpkins!

2009-10-04T16:57:00.006-05:00

Here we are in the month of October. That means only one thing around here - pumpkins!

We're so excited about this year's Pumpkin Hunt and the Rockin' Pumpkin Finale on November 1. We'll have plenty of pumpkins for pictures, hunting, picking from the field, painting and to take home.

With free admission and the ability to pick and choose which events you want to participate in (ranging in price from $2-4), this is an affordable family-friendly event.

Click here for more details.

We can't wait to see you out on the farm this year!

How we grow our trees

2009-09-12T09:28:00.003-05:00

It's been raining! Finally! But how do we keep the trees healthy and growing even when it isn't raining and we're in a drought?

Well, we made a video to show how we take care of our trees. And if you haven't already - make sure you check out our planting video from earlier this summer.

Find us online

2009-09-02T21:10:00.007-05:00

We're all over the Internet these days. Make sure to follow @evergreenfarms on Twitter and become our friend on Facebook at facebook.com/evergreenfarms.

Tree Planting

2009-05-10T16:35:00.003-05:00

We're creating educational videos here at Evergreeen Farms that show how the trees grow on the farm. Here is a look at the first video - planting the tree seedlings.

Dogs Have Fun Too!

2008-12-09T20:11:00.011-06:00

Now that we're two weekends down for the 2008 season we just want to say a big giant THANK YOU to our amazing customers. We've had so much fun with those of you that have made it out to the farm so far.

But it's not just people that have fun out at the farm - the dogs have fun too! That's right - dogs are welcome at Evergreen Farms (as long as they're on a leash).

Here is a dog that came out this year and could careless about the trees - he was all about the teatherball!!!

$5 Coupon to World Market

2008-12-02T20:33:00.004-06:00

Don't forget to pick up your World Market coupon when you purchase your tree this year. And if you're on Santa's "good" list...we might give you two coupons!

Countdown Christmas with the Kids

2008-11-25T18:24:00.006-06:00

Here is a little Christmas gift from Evergreen Farms to you - and your kids (okay so it's not really a gift, we just heard about it and think it's really cool and want you to know about it too).

www.kidthing.com has 25 fun, interactive games to help countdown Christmas. Best part? It's FREE! Click here to learn more about it and to download the media player.

Once you download the software you can go to the store to retreive the free games. It's a great way to keep the kids entertained during the holidays - especially on those long trips!

Farm in the News

2008-11-20T21:44:00.002-06:00

The farm was on the news again this week. This is a great story that was on the KEYE Evening News last night:

Click here for video.

Click here for story.

Ronald McDonald Love

2008-11-20T21:41:00.003-06:00

This isn't Christmas tree related but we love supporting the Ronald McDonald House and we love cake - so how can we not talk about it? Click here to read the great article that was in the Statesman last week.

P.S. - For the second year in a row, we will be donating some Christmas trees for the Austin Ronald McDonald House to enjoy this holiday season. Look for more info about that coming up.

Texas Capitol Ornament

2008-11-10T21:02:00.003-06:00

The state Capitol recently released the 2008 Capitol Ornament. This year's ornament replicates the central rotunda's terrazzo floor design with the six seals of the countries whose flags have flown over Texas. The rotunda's terrazzo flooring was installed throughout the first level of the Capitol in 1936, in celebration of the 1936 Texas Centennial.

Our gift shop will have this year's ornament on sale for $18 (same price as the Capitol gift shop). Proceeds from sales fund educational programs and preservation efforts of the Texas Capitol. Our gift shop also has several ornaments from previous years if you're missing one as part of your collection.

Happy Halloween

2008-11-02T13:47:00.004-06:00

Hope everyone had a great (and safe) halloween. We want to thank everyone for coming out to the farm this year for Pumpkin Hunt. We had a great time and hope you did too.

In the meantime, we'll end this year's Pumpkin/Halloween season with a photo of the cutest monkey to ever come to the farm (on Monkey Rd). Of course we might be biased since he is related to us...

KEYE story

2008-10-21T19:40:00.004-05:00

CLICK HERE for a link to the KEYE story from today about pumpkins and the farm.

Look for us on TV

2008-10-19T12:10:00.003-05:00

KEYE is scheduled to come out to the farm on Tuesday morning for live shots during their morning show. They are going to talk about pumpkins growing in Texas and there should even be a representative from the Texas Department of Agriculture out here to talk to them.

So Tuesday morning while you're getting ready for work, eating breakfast or getting the kids ready for the day - turn on the TV and learn about pumpkins.

The Fire Truck

2008-10-17T21:29:00.010-05:00

We had a great first Pumpkin Hunt weekend out on the farm. The new addition to the farm - our fire truck - was a huge hit. The kids love seeing the truck, hearing the siren and then getting to actually ride on it.

It runs about every 30 minutes, so there's plenty of opportunities for you to ride the fire truck when you come out. Hope to see you this weekend - it should be great weather to be out in the fresh air!

Halfway through the ride we stop and show how the fire hose works. The trees love the extra watering!

All the kids that ride the truck get a fire hat to take home.

Pumpkin Hunt begins!

2008-10-08T19:41:00.006-05:00

Now that the weather is cooling off, it's the perfect time to get the family outside. This weekend we open the farm up so families can experience a working Christmas tree farm, run around in the fresh air of the country, pick pumpkins out of the field, play pumpkin games, ride on a real fire truck and more.

Here are some details:

8th Annual Great Pumpkin Hunt

What is it? The Great Pumpkin Hunt is a family-friendly event where children of all ages can enjoy fall activities, like picking out a pumpkin from the field. All activities are ongoing throughout the day, allowing families to customize their experience at the farm. Pumpkins of all sizes are available for purchase.

The premier event, the Pumpkin Hunt, includes a wagon ride into the Christmas tree fields where mini pumpkins are hidden in the trees. Then come back to the pavilion, where tables are set up for free pumpkin painting.

New this year is the debut of the Evergreen Farms Fire Truck. The authentic pumper fire truck is available for rides around the farm ($4/person). Depending on conditions, fire fighting demonstrations are shown on the ride.

What is the cost?
Admission is free.

Certain activities cost $2-4 per ticket.

What activities are there?
These activities are free: Wagon ride around the farm, toddler play area, pumpkin recipes, pumpkin decorating after purchase of pumpkin, bean bag toss, petting zoo, pictures with the pumpkins and shopping in the Christmas Shoppe.

These activities are $2 per ticket: Pumpkin Hunt, Swing It and Ring It Game, Pumpkin Launcher, Pumpkin Maze, Pumpkin Slide, Pumpkin Train Ride, Pumpkin Golf and the new Pumpkin Pond.

This activity is $4 per person: The Evergreen Farms Fire Truck includes ride around the farm, siren and fire fighting demonstrations.

When are we open?
Last three weekends in October (October 11-12, 18-19, 25-26)
Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sundays from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Where are we located?
242 Monkey Road
Elgin, TX 78621
Click here for directions.

PUMPKINS!

2008-09-25T15:03:00.016-05:00

The 8th Annual Great Pumpkin Hunt is only 2 weeks away and the pumpkins are looking great!

Go into the field and pick your pumpkin straight from the pumpkin patch. The pumpkins in the field this year have a wide variety of colors and shapes - so there's bound to be one just right for you.

We also have pre-picked pumpkins and gourds of various sizes and shapes for sale. Prices are based off the weight of the pumpkin.

Once you've picked your pumpkin, make sure to participate in the other fun activities going on around the farm. Click here for all the details.

Staying busy year round

2008-09-22T14:17:00.004-05:00

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.

Ronald McDonald House

2007-11-23T10:00:00.000-06:00

This week we had the pleasure of donating three Christmas trees to the brand new Ronald McDonald House. We also donated $1000 to the Ronald McDonald House because we want to give back to the Austin community that has supported us for so many years.

The new 30-room facility is located next to the Dell Children's Hospital. After the ceremony, Kent Burress, the executive director of the Ronald McDonald House, gave us a tour of the new facility. He said that it is fast becoming a model for other facilities being built around the world. It utilizes energy-saving devices, family-oriented spaces and healthy building materials. This will be a great place for families to stay while their children are in the hospital.

We are so grateful that we were able to donate to an organization that takes care of families in their time of need.

Fox 7 News was out there for the ceremony. CLICK HERE to watch the news story.

Here are some photos from our visit to the Ronald McDonald House, which officially opens December 17.

Mike spoke about the importance of real Christmas trees during the ceremony, as Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples watched.

Mike looks out at the Dell Children's Hospital from one of the rooms at the new Ronald McDonald House. The facility was built so that each room has a view of the hospital . This way families can still look over their ill or injured children, even when they aren't at the hospital.

Evergreen Farms Pumpkin Facts and Recipes

2007-10-22T10:58:00.000-05:00

Another big week-end at the farm. We had record crowds this week-end and as far as we know everyone had a great time despite the train delay. So many pumpkins have been going out the gate, Evergreen Farms would like to share some facts and recipes with all of you.

Pumpkin Nutritional Facts (based on one cup of pumpkin puree)
Calories: 80; Carbohydrates: 19 grams;Cholesterol: 0;Fat: less than 1 gram; Potassium: 588 milligrams; Protein: 2.4 grams; Vitamin A: 310% of RDA; Vitamin B: 20% of RDA
Cooking Pumpkin
Use firm, bright colored pumpkins
Cut in half, scrape out the seeds and brush the inside with melted butter and a little salt
Cover with foil and bake at 350F for about 50 minutes or until tender
Scoop out pulp from the skin. Mash or beat until smooth
A 3lb Pumpkin yields 4-5 cups
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
2 cups pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp oil
1-2 tsp of salt
Separate seeds from pumpkin pulp. Do not wash. Coat the seeds with oil and salt. Bake on a baking sheet at 250F until seeds are dry. About 1 hour.
Pumpkin Casserole
Combine pumpkin puree with rice and minced grreen pepper in a thick white cheese sauce.
Bake 350F until warm.
Pumpkin West Indian Soup( serves 100)
3 lbs quartered onions
2lbs. Leeks
2oz. garlic
2oz. Olive Oil
7 lbs. pumpkin puree
31/2 gallons chicken stock
2 quarts Half and Half
1 quart of heavy cream
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
Heat oven to 300F. Place onions, leeks and garlic in shallow roasting pan; drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes. Puree the vegetables.
Roast pumpkin puree at 300F for 20 to 25 minutes. In large stockpot combine the pumpkin puree, pureed begetables and chicken stock. Bring to boil. Simmer 1 hour.
Add Half and Half and cream. simmer 5 minutes. season with salt and pepper.
Pumpkin Pie Dip
1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
15 ounces of pumpkin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Beat cream cheese and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add pumpkin, cinnamon and ginger beating well. Cover and chill for 8 hours. Serve with gingersnaps, apple or pear slices.

Thousands enjoyed the fun this past week-end at the Pumpkin Hunt

2007-10-16T19:19:00.000-05:00

This past week-end was a fun-filled event at Evergreen Farms. Thousands hunted and painted pumpkins and enjoyed all of the games on the farm. Next week-end will be even better as the forecast for the weather is a lot cooler. The new model train is a big hit despite the removal of the Caboose because of the high winds. Of course the real train ride is a a huge success since the ride is longer and has all kinds of trivia to learn along the way. See you this week-end. don't be left out. Next week we will try and have pictures posted---the camera needed recharging.