# Choose, Cut and Stay in the Christmas Tree Capital

As the second-largest producer of Christmas trees in the U.S., North Carolina has also created a tradition of families visiting farms during the holidays to choose and cut their favorite trees

Ninety percent of North Carolina Christmas trees are Fraser firs, prized for their pyramid shape, sturdy branches and natural fresh holiday scent. North Carolina Fraser firs have been chosen for the White House 12 times – the most of any state and any species. A record seven of those are from Ashe County alone, earning the High Country destination the title of America’s Christmas Tree Capital.

The North Carolina Christmas Tree Association lists some 60 Christmas tree growers who invite visitors to their farms to choose and cut the perfect tree. The North Carolina Farm Fresh and the Eastern North Carolina Christmas Tree Growers Association also offer great information about where to find trees in the mountains, central region and on the coast.

Here’s how the hunt for the perfect North Carolina-grown Christmas tree usually plays out. You bundle up, pile the family in the car and hit the road. Depending on which farm you visit, your trip could include an old-fashioned hayride to the top of a mountain, a visit with Santa, shopping in a holiday gift shop, drinking hot apple cider or cocoa, or even joining a marshmallow or hot dog roast. Choosing, measuring and getting your tree cut is easy with help from large farm “elves” who wrap it up and load it for the trip home. With lots of lodging options near local tree farms, you can easily turn a day trip into a weekend adventure.

North Carolina trees harvested right off the farm are fresher, smell more fragrant, and stay greener as family arrives and your celebration unfolds. But whether you take a tree home or not, a visit to a Christmas tree farm creates a lasting holiday memory.

As you plan your trip, consider this: Our state’s top five Christmas tree-producing counties are Ashe, Avery, Alleghany and Watauga in the High Country, and Jackson in the Great Smoky Mountains. Species grown in eastern North Carolina include Leyland cypress, Norway spruce, Eastern red cedar, white pine, Scotch pine, Virginia pine, Arizona cypress (Blue Ice, Carolina Sapphire) and the white cedar cultivar Green Giant.

North Carolina Christmas Tree Association

**Here are several of the many "choose, cut and stay" options you'll find in North Carolina:**

#### Christmas Tree Farm Fun in the Mountains

**Inn at Yonahlossee  
** _Boone  
_ In an area thick with Christmas tree farms, visitors have a choice of where to choose and cut a Fraser fir to take home. And at the Yonahlossee resort, you can take your pick of activities, including the fitness center and indoor pool, and area attractions. The Christmas Tree package covers two nights’ accommodation at the inn or a studio cottage and an 8-foot Christmas tree.

**Circle C Tree Farm  
** _Boone  
_ Hike through the fields until you’ve found Mr. Right Tree, then enjoy a cup of hot chocolate while it’s netted and loaded for the journey home. Hayrides are offered on weekends (weather permitting), and field transportation is available to those who prefer. Shoppers will also find wreaths, garlands and centerpieces on sale in the barn. Circle C partners with the Hemlock Inn in Blowing Rock, which features rooms and suites in its Christmas Tree Package, and includes a tree up to 7 feet tall.

**Joe Edwards Christmas Tree Farm  
** _Sparta_  
You can choose a Fraser fir or Colorado blue spruce at this 85-acre family farm, then find an accent piece for your holiday decor or a one-of-a-kind gift at the Blue Ridge Gallery of Fine Art. The farm has partnered with Harmony Hill B&B on a one-night package that includes a wine and cheese social hour, a gourmet breakfast, dinner for two with a bottle of wine, and a 5- to 7-foot tree.

**Boyd Mountain Christmas Tree Farm  
** _Waynesville  
_ A big family needs room to spread out, and Boyd Mountain extends an opportunity to do so on a 130-acre tract that includes hiking trails, a stocked trout stream, a Fraser fir farm, and seven hand-hewed log cabins that date back 150 to 200 years and sleep two to 10 people. Anyone looking for more to do on a choose-and-cut holiday will find the Cataloochee Ski Area a convenient option, and one with a special deal for weekday visits.

**Tom Sawyer Tree Farm  
** _Glenville (near Highlands)  
_ In the true mountain-heritage spirit, Tom Sawyer Tree Farm creates a full-blown family experience beyond the selection of a Fraser fir. The experience includes an Elf Village, meet-and-greet with Santa, a horse-drawn carriage and a post office for the children to mail letters to the North Pole. The Old Edwards Inn and Spa, a luxury-minded retreat in Highlands, has partnered with the farm for its Christmas Tree Package, which includes accommodations, a gift certificate for Madison's restaurant and a voucher for the tree farm.

#### Beyond the Mountains

Though the High Country’s Fraser firs dominate North Carolina’s Christmas tree landscape, Eastern North Carolina growers also offer choose-and-cut experiences that make excellent day trips or starting points for building your own Christmas tree getaway. Here are a few options:

**North Lake Christmas Trees & Nursery  
** _Benson  
_ Visitors can choose and cut their choice of tree from the varieties the growers have nurtured over three decades of history. Scenic walks around the lake, an arboretum and wooded trails add to the pleasures of a visit. Continue the outing with a drive to see the free Meadow Lights display (pizza and hot dogs are available at the concession stand) or head to Lights on the Neuse in Clayton, Boyette Family Farms’ holiday attraction.

**Stowe Dairy Farms  
** _Gastonia  
_ Grass-fed beef and free-range eggs dominate the farm’s activity most of the year – and then comes Christmas tree season. Visitors can choose and cut a Leyland, Red Cedar, Carolina Sapphire or White Pine from the field or select a fresh-cut Fraser fir brought down from the mountains. A getaway becomes even more festive with a visit to McAdenville, also known as Christmas Town USA, or Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden’s Holiday Lights at the Garden.

**Helms Christmas Tree Farm  
** _Vale  
_ Families can find plenty to do after selecting from six varieties of trees (or a pre-cut Fraser fir) – a covered wagon ride, the petting zoo and marshmallow roasting plus shopping for wreaths, swags, kissing balls and table arrangements. About 20 miles north in Valdese, the Trail of Lights display celebrates the season and illuminates the unique history of the Waldensian pilgrims who settled here.