Christmas Trees

[simply1]

Just curious where people goes to get their tree, store, tree farm, etc?

I have to admit I've gone to menards the last couple, seem to have decent trees and pretty cheap. Will probably try Iowa Orchard in Urbandale (supposedly have trees after getting some pumpkins there) or the one by Polk City.

 

[jumbopackage]

In a box in the basement. Grew up with real trees, but I don't miss them at all.

 

[simply1]

I went with the box for a while, went back the past couple years.

 

[CYKID]

Bought a really expensive fake at Menards over ten years ago after Christmas. Still looks great.

 

[ClimbIowa]

I cut a Cannan Fir at a tree farm. It's a balsam/frasier hybrid, but there seems to be a lot of variation in the needle structure between cannans so it's easy to find one that looks exactly like a balsam or another that looks exactly like a frasier. I prefer the frasier, but you can't grow 'em in Iowa.

 

[simply1]

You guys sure miss out on the fresh tree scent, the tree gathering experience, and the billions of pine needles in your house until july 4th.. err.

 

[jumbopackage]

I went with the box for a while, went back the past couple years.

I've honestly thought about it - I do miss the Christmas tree smell - but the hassles of a real tree, not to mention the fire hazard, have kinda kept me with my nice pre-lit fake one I got on closeout a few years back.

 

[ClimbIowa]

You guys sure miss out on the fresh tree scent, the tree gathering experience, and the billions of pine needles in your house until july 4th.. err.

I'd miss both of those things greatly if I went with a fake tree.

 

[Flag Guy]

I couldn't have a real tree in my Ames apartment, so I got a cheap fake tree from Wal-mart after Christmas one year. Put it up last night (still got a Cyclone theme going for it)

Since it's just me here and I still go home for Christmas, I'll stick with the fake for now but I look forward to going home to my parents real tree, and I intend to start buying real trees at some point in the future

 

[nj829]

Does Captain Jack still have the Christmas tree farm? Never did go there, but remember the commercials well!

 

[Dave19642006]

I grab a branch from the tree outside and use empty beer cans as ornaments

 

[Ms3r4ISU]

Now that we live in Ames, we get our main one from the ISU Forestry Club's sale. We also have an ISU red/gold themed artificial tree in our family room.

 

[alaskaguy]

I cut a tree down on my property.

 

[Im4State]

Howells near Cumming IA is a nice tree farm

 

[CYdTracked]

Nowells near Cumming IA is a nice tree farm

I think you mean Howells

 

[cyclonesurveyor]

we get our tree and pumpkins at Howell's near Cumming, Iowa.:biggrin:

 

[jtaconutz]

I cut down a tree on someone else's property.

 

[burn587]

My family always went to Strautman tree farm in Cambridge, probably the closest farm to Ames.

 

[alaskaguy]

The US Forest Service here charges $10 for a permit which allows you to go pick out a tree and chop it down.

 

[jamesfnb]

We (wife and 2 kids) go to the Kidman Tree Farm in NW Ankeny (Polk City) every year. The kids love the experience and so does Mama. They have horse drawn carriage rides, fake reindeer and a little house where you can visit Santa and Mrs. Clause. Some years we cut down a tree for $50 and some years we buy a pre-cut from them which is shipped in from out of state somewhere. We like the pre-cut better because they are Faser Firs which look awesome, don't lose many needles and are very soft to the touch, with a strong tree smell that fills the house. But, the kids also enjoy cutting down a tree from the field so we switch it up.

The memories the kids will have are priceless. Every year the Friday after Thanksgiving when all the crazies are shopping we go to Kidman Tree Farm and have a blast. They also have a nice gift shop with free hot chocolate which the kids look forward to a lot. It's the small things fellas, the small things........