When the crop is Christmas trees, you’re selling more than just trees

A field of trees at Cedar Hill Christmas Tree Farm near Pakenham, Ontario. Photo: James Morgan

Grant and Pam Martin with sons Todd, Neil, Adam, and Graham. Photo used with permission from Cedar Hill Christmas Tree Farm.

We don’t usually think of Christmas trees as an agricultural crop like corn or soybeans, but they are. I took a drive out to Cedar Hill Christmas Tree Farm recently. It’s west of Ottawa near the scenic village of Pakenham. Grant and Pam Martin purchased the 114-acre farm in 2016 from Paul and Ria Ralph. The transition to trees was a big shift for the Martin’s and their four sons. For 17 years, they had operated an organic dairy farm in Huron County in southwestern Ontario, not far from my hometown of Listowel.

Pam grew up near the tree farm and her family operates a large, popular maple sugar bush nearby. She met Grant when they were students at the University of Guelph, Ontario’s main agricultural college.

Pam said that when families come to the farm looking for a tree, she’s noticed a traditional pattern unfolds. Mothers and children are almost always the ones who do the actual choosing and want the tallest, fullest, most perfect tree–and it’s the fathers who are left doing the cutting with a handsaw, pulling the tree back to the parking lot, and making sure it’s safely attached to the car for the drive home.

The family Christmas Tree, tied to their vehicle for the trip home. Photo: James Morgan

Not everyone is looking for a giant tree. Trees for sale at Cedar Hill range from three feet to 15 feet high and the price goes from $5 (Canadian) to $150. Most of the trees sold at the farm are in the 6 to 8-foot range because that’s what can fit in the average house these days.

Tree farmers do more than offer a place to cut down or buy a Christmas tree. Cedar Hill offers tractor-drawn wagon rides over the laneways. There’s a perfect sliding hill for when there’s snow, and a big fort made from straw bales. “We like to give families that experience,” said Pam Martin, inside the beautiful building overlooking Indian Creek that also serves as home to Cedar Hill’s gift shop and its Café Claus restaurant. These extra things add to the business model and help bring in customers who make getting a real Christmas tree part of their seasonal traditions.

A family enjoys lunch at Cedar Hill’s Cafe Claus. Photo: James Morgan

As the farm is close to Ottawa, Cedar Hill’s trees have ended up being displayed in some prominent places in Canada’s capital city. For the second year, the Canadian Christmas Tree Grower’s Association has purchased trees from the farm and donated them to the federal government as the official Christmas trees at all of the official residences in Ottawa. That means that Governor General Julie Payette, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, House of Commons Speaker Geoff Regan, and Official Opposition Leader Andrew Scheer all have a Cedar Hill tree. The farm has also been used in the outdoor footage for two Hallmark Channel productions; A Christmas Festival of Ice (2017), and The Rooftop Christmas Tree (2016).

The Martins say, that like with any other type of farming, the labor force often comes from the entire family. In addition they hire up to 20 people from the local community throughout the year. Pam said they are proud to be part of the community and give local young people their first job. A visit to Cedar Hill Christmas Tree Farm showed that a lot of work, and a lot of dedication go into that beautiful monument that becomes the center of many living rooms this time of year.

Decorated for the season, the covered bridge over Indian Creek at Cedar Hill Christmas Tree Farm. Photo: James Morgan

Tags: agriculture, canada, christmas, Christmas Trees, Ontario