But hard work and the spirit of Christmas keep their businesses going. Tree farming in Kansas is 11 months of uphill struggle redeemed by one month of holiday cheer. But we love it. The struggle to survive About a half-dozen tree farms sell Christmas trees in the Wichita area. It takes almost 10 years for a tree to grow before it can be sold.
Survival rates can be low.
For many Kansas pine trees, life can be nasty, brutish and short. Bob Scott owns Prairie Pines Christmas Tree Farm at 4055 N. Tyler Road. He started planting in 1974. His early years were typical for area tree farmers. The first year, we planted 12,000 trees and lost everything.