Cut your own Christmas tree
Have a holly, jolly, old-fashioned holiday at a Christmas tree farm
AMONG THE MOST BELOVED of holiday traditions is choosing and cutting down a Christmas tree. As the sometimes clueless Clark W. Griswold of the classic yuletide favorite, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, puts it, the perfect tree is a symbol of the spirit of the family Christmas.
“Back before there were artificial trees, families either went to a tree lot or walked out into a field somewhere and cut their own tree,” says Kevin Roberts, owner of Roberts Family Farm in Guston and a consumer-member of Meade County RECC. “After a generation or two of being removed from that, people are wanting to get back to that experience. It starts a good healthy family tradition for generations to come.”
Mitchell and Liz Kirkman of Vine Grove enjoy a festive family outing with their children, Orianna and Liem at the Roberts Family Farm in Guston. Photo: Wade Harris
In addition to selecting and cutting down their own trees (handsaws are provided), visitors to this farm also find plenty of holiday fun and activities.
“We always have a bonfire going along with the petting zoo, and my wife’s bakery has hot drinks, so it is a total experience,” says Roberts.
Kentucky has family-owned Christmas tree farms across the state, and each offers a unique experience, with everything from hot chocolate and baked goods to kids’ crafts and visits with Santa Claus to picking out fresh greenery for holiday decorating and the perfect Christmas tree.
In addition to the Roberts Family Farm, here are a few other Christmas tree farms ready to host your family’s holiday tradition.
Somerset
Hay wagon rides from the barns out to the tree field, farm friends for feeding and petting, live music and plenty of games are part of the experience at Heffelfinger Tree Farm in Somerset. Also part of the fun? Themed days, including Mrs. Claus Storytime, Christmas PJ Day and Ugly Sweater Day.
“We also offer concessions, hot chocolate, local Baxter’s coffee, fresh popcorn and a few hot meal options,” says Melissa Heffelfinger, who owns the farm with her husband, Jon, consumer-members of South Kentucky RECC. “And we try to get on Santa’s schedule to have him out when he has time.”
The farm’s gift shop features items from area crafters and artists, and stocks an array of 20- and 30-inch wreaths, small and large swags, garland, kissing balls and other items that are made in-house. Putting the experience over the top: wreath making and wreath decorating classes.
Harrodsburg
Scenically set on Herrington Lake in Harrodsburg, Sherwood Acres Christmas Trees, served by Inter-County Energy, is a true family affair. It is owned by Jon Bednarski and his wife, Karen; their daughter and son-in-law, Kristin and William Rover; and Jon’s brother-in-law, David Yount and his wife (and Jon’s sister), Karen Bednarski. All shared a dream of creating the kind of farm you might see in a Hallmark Christmas movie.
In addition to offering precut Fraser fir trees, Sherwood Acres charms with its Christmas Shop tucked inside a restored tobacco barn and filled with a variety of gifts, decor and made-in-Kentucky items: woven holiday baskets, stuffed animals, hand-blown glass ornaments and more.
The Christmas Shop also has crafts for children, complimentary hot chocolate and photo opportunities, plus a variety of greenery for sale—wreaths, porch pots and more—made on the farm.
“We look forward to becoming a destination for people in the community who want that old-fashioned tradition of going out to the farm to get a Christmas tree,” says Jon Bednarski.
Shepherdsville
At Werkmeister’s Christmas Tree Farm in Shepherdsville, tree trekkers can choose among six acres of Canaan fir, Douglas fir and Serbian spruce trees for their family Christmas tree. No worries about numb toes or other frozen appendages: workers at the farm will cut down the tree you select.
The gift shop has handmade wreaths for sale along with a selection of sweets.
“We have a concession stand with coffee, hot chocolate and apple cider and fudge,” says second-generation tree farm owner Elizabeth Werkmeister Shafer, a consumer-member of Salt River Electric. “We also have a photographer on staff and several props, including my grandpa’s 1950 Ford truck.”
This year, embrace Griswold’s advice and “head out into the country in the old front-wheel drive sleigh to embrace the frosty majesty of the winter landscape and select that most important of Christmas symbols.”
Featured Christmas tree farms:
Heffelfinger Tree Farm
- 380 Colo Grade Road, Somerset
- Facebook: Heffelfinger Tree Farm
- (606) 219-7989
U-cut and precut Fraser fir trees, greenery, hot chocolate, Santa visits and more, plus full gift shop.
Roberts Family Farm
- 125 Kennedy Road, Guston
- Facebook: Roberts Family Farm, LLC
- (270) 422-2361
U-cut white pine trees and precut Fraser firs, wreaths and garland; onsite bakery with homemade desserts like fudge, cookies and pies; country craft store with locally handmade crafts; plus, playground area, bonfire pit and petting zoo. Note: Roberts will cut or visitors can cut their own tree with (provided) handsaws.
Sherwood Acres Christmas Trees
- 1263 Paradise Camp Road, Harrodsburg
- Facebook: Sherwood Acres Christmas Trees
- (502) 649-8706
Precut trees, wreaths and greenery, children’s crafts and activities, and Christmas shop. The farm plans to offer choose-and-cut trees in the coming years once the more than 4,000 trees planted on the farm reach maturity.
Werkmeister’s Christmas Tree Farm
- 966 Clarks Lane, Shepherdsville
- Facebook: Werkmeister’s Christmas Tree Farm
- (502) 543-6084
U-pick/we-cut trees and wreaths; gift shop; concession stand with coffee, hot chocolate, apple cider and fudge; and photo op props.
Other Christmas tree farms:
Barker’s Christmas Tree Farm
- 1500 Deer Haven Lane, Lexington
- barkerschristmastreefarm.com
- (859) 223- 4354
Choose-and-cut trees (Canaan fir and white pine—some over 12 feet tall) and ball/ burlap Norway spruce. Barker’s provides the saw and also has tree stands, homemade wreaths, swags, garland and bags of greenery for sale. Reservations to get a tree are required and can be made through the website.
Cathole Bend Christmas Trees & Nursery
- 1243 Cathole Bend Road, Lancaster (Inter- County Energy)
- Facebook: Kentucky Christmas Trees
- (859) 985-7044
Choose-and-cut Christmas tree farm with 20 acres of white pine, Norway spruce, blue spruce, white spruce, Black Hill spruce and Canaan fir.
Duckworth Family Farm
- 661 Shannon Run Road, Versailles
- Facebook: The Barn at Duckworth Farm
- (859) 948- 9794
Choose-and-cut trees available.
Hartman Tree Farm
- 870 Old Tram Road, Bowling Green (Warren RECC)
- kychristmastreefarms.com—find under Member Farms
- (270) 842-1405
Choose-and-cut Scotch pine and white pine trees, plus 14-inch wreaths. Bow saws provided. Services include shaking trees to remove loose needles and baling them for easy handling.
Hutton-Loyd Tree Farm
- 1055 Big Run Road, Wallingford (Fleming- Mason Energy Cooperative)
- Facebook: Hutton-Loyd Tree Farm
- (859) 474-0287
U-cut and pre-dug (with root ball) trees, precut Fraser firs. Bow saws provided. Open campfire with s’mores and hot chocolate.
Judy Tree Farm
- 5060 Old Maysville Road, Mount Sterling (Clark Energy)
- judytreefarm.com
- (859) 585-6637
Choose-and-cut trees on a limited basis, plus tree stands, ornaments, wreaths and garland.
Kovalic’s Christmas Tree Farm
- 487 Ecton Road, Winchester
- Facebook: Kovalic’s Christmas Tree Farm
- (859) 808- 0414
Precut trees, wreaths, garland and gift shop, plus complimentary hot cider and cookies. The farm is open Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
Mill’s Tree Farm & Honeybees
- 104 Jesse Lane, London (Jackson Energy)
- Facebook: Mill’s Tree Farm & Honeybees
- (606) 389-6559
U-cut and precut Douglas firs and wreaths, plus hot chocolate. The farm provides saws. Well-behaved dogs are welcome—and be prepared: Buster the mutt, the farm’s exuberantly friendly mascot, loves to greet (and lick) visitors.
Twin Bridges Tree Farm
- 9669 Twin Bridges Road, Alvaton (Warren RECC)
- Facebook: Twin Bridges Tree Farm
- (502) 216-4338
A variety of choose-and-cut Christmas trees, plus complimentary tree shaking and bailing. Tree stands and wreaths are available for purchase
