Best Places To Cut Your Own Christmas Tree North Of Boston
Nothing is more festive and rustic than picking out the perfect Christmas tree and chopping it down yourself. While this seems impossible in the city where it is more convenient to find a tiny tree for sale at the supermarket or drug store, there are actually some wonderful small tree farms just outside of Boston. Some of these tree farms even let visitors chop down their own tree! Get into the holiday spirit by making a short trek outside of Boston to one of these local farms to cut your own tree.
315 S Bradford St.
North Andover, MA 01845
(978) 682-6332
www.smolakfarms.com
Smolak Farms is a beautiful quaint farmstand in North Andover, just a 40-minute drive north of Boston. For many neighboring communities, Smolak is the go-to place for picking your own berries, apples and pumpkins, and it also offers DIY Christmas tree cutting. The farm offers this through its "choos'n'cut" program which allows guests to wander the Christmas Tree farm and chop their own for a flat fee of $69. For those who are a little wary of doing the work themselves, Smolak also sells pre-cut trees for between $49 and $120.
26 Old England Road
Ipswich, MA 01938
(978) 968-6009
www.heliotropehill.com
Purchasing a tree from Heliotrope Hill Christmas Tree Farm in Ipswich is a wonderful way to experience the joy of cutting your own tree while also giving back. The farm partners with a nonprofit called Ipswich Caring to collect donations of new children's toys for families in need during the holiday season. Guests that bring a toy to donate will receive a $5 discount on their Christmas tree purchase. What a great way to make finding a Christmas tree even more meaningful.
96 Dudley Rd.
Billerica, MA 01821
(978) 667-5380
www.greenwoodtreefarm.wordpress.com
Opening at the end of each November, Greenwood Tree Farm opens for people to choose and cut their own trees for four weeks. The farm also owns property in New York, so also sells pre-cut trees from there as well. The farm is open seven days a week and there are goats and chickens that add to the rustic charm. While the Tree farm is only open for four weeks, Greenwood runs other farms such as The Merrimack Valley Apiary - which is its bee and honey site. So if you enjoy the tree farm, make plans to go back in warmer weather and do some honey tasting.
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114 Crane Neck St.
West Newbury, MA 01985
(978) 363-1272
www.cranenecktree.com
You may recognize the name "Crane" from beloved Crane Beach, but the North Shore isn't just a summer destination. West Newbury's Crane Neck Tree Farm is a great place to go searching for the perfect Christmas tree. Crane Neck Tree Farm is also very convenient because it has two other locations as well in Groveland and on Stewart Street in West Newbury. The farm has been in operation for 40 years and has continued to expand as families come back every year to choose their own tree.
Herrick Road,
Boxford, MA 01921
www.herricktreefarm.com
This small, family-run farm is the perfect place to get your tree this holiday season. The rural town of Boxford will instantly transport your family back in time. Have everyone put away their smart phones and tablets to truly enjoy the small-town scenery and take in the beauty of winter. Make sure to call ahead or check the Herrick Tree Farm website before driving up to Boxford, as the small farm operates on limited hours. For detailed directions, check out the map.
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Cameron Bruns is the founder of BostonGreenBlog.com and co-author of Just Us Gals Boston. She lives in Boston's North End, where her goal is to promote ethical, stylish, and sustainable lifestyle choices to all Boston residents. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.