This year my husband and I decided to find a local tree farm and cut down our own Christmas tree. This is a big adventure for our family of 6, especially since our 4 children are all still 3 years and under. I was very reserved about this idea at first. I had heard stories from friends that years ago they had gone to a Florida tree farm and ultimately ended up calling an exterminator to come and take care of the all the creepy-crawlers living in the tree and spreading through out the house! So naturally, a mom with 3 toddler girls and a 6-month old boy would be concerned about bringing in a tree infested with bugs. But my husband did his research.
He selected Santa’s Christmas Tree Forest in Eustis, Florida. It’s about an hour and 10 minute drive from our home in Osceola County, which is quite the drive for our little ones, but we figured it would be an adventure that might be worth taking. We were not disappointed!
When we arrived the place was buzzing with families, laughing kids, and smelled sweetly of fresh pine. Our three girls giggled with delight at the farm animal zoo, and absolutely loved the “reindeer” ride pulled by a tractor.
Then the search for the perfect tree began. For those who don’t desire a “choose and cut” Christmas tree, the farm also offers a variety of pre-cut northern trees for purchase, but of course, we were there for the “choose and cut” experience.
Even though the tree farm was swarming with a lot of eager customers, the tree farm was big enough for everyone to spread out. So we took our time walking around and inspecting the 3 different varieties. After much consideration – this one’s too short, this one has a bare spot, this one’s just right! We selected a Sand Pine that’s about 7 feet tall and just about as perfectly shaped as it can get!
It does have a very slender trunk, which gave us a little trouble when we put it in our stand at home. But with a little extra work, Ryan figured it out and now it fits beautifully in our family room by the window.
Consequently, the branches are also very slender, so if you have a lot of glass and/or heavy ornaments, I would caution you about this variety. Take care and make sure you select stronger branches for those heavier decorations!
Overall, it is a perfect tree for our family, and to my delight we don’t have a single creepy-crawler problem!
Tags: central florida tree farm, Christmas tree, eustis, Florida tree farm, Santa's christmas tree forest