Christmas Tree Farms See Increase After Thanksgiving
RHINEBECK, N.Y. --- The holiday season is upon us and families are heading to their local farms to pick out Christmas trees. Tremper Saltsman of the Saltsman Christmas Tree Farm in Rhinebeck says the first few days after Thanksgiving are the busiest.
"I guess it's the Christmas spirit strikes early. There are many different opinion about that but every years it seems people do buy their trees earlier and earlier and earlier so whatever is good for them is good for us," Saltsman said.
He says the warm weather has not affected the trees on the 30 acre property but instead it's brought more people to the farm.
"We had a beautiful growing season it was just ideal, and as for as the warm weather with the public coming in like for example yesterday it was 65 and people really really enjoyed that and they were in here in mass," Saltsman said.
New customers like Andrew Ciavarelli are excited to start new traditions at Saltsman’s.
"This is actually the first time I ever cut down my own tree I grew up in the city and we decided to start a new tradition and cutting down our own tree. I came up with the idea and I knew my girlfriend would love it so we came up and did it," said new tree buyer Andrew Ciavarelli.
And 30 year veterans just love the atmosphere of picking out their own trees.
"Every Saturday after thanksgiving it’s a tradition,” said veteran tree buyer Tom Barton.
Saltsman’s harvests around 300 to 400 hundred trees a year and they tell customers that coming to the farm is more than just cutting down a tree.
"It’s all about the experience you know when you come we have the old barn. We’ve got the camp fire to roast chestnuts you get to walk through the fields cut down your tree you know it’s just a good family outing," said Kevin Tiberio.
Saltsman’s farm is open until the end of the Christmas season and Saltsman hopes the warm weather sticks around.