The parking lot was packed with cars, vans and pickup trucks at Galehouse Tree Farms near Doylestown as the nice weather held up early Sunday for people searching for the perfect Christmas tree.
“We do this every year or at least for the last 15 years or so,” said Ann Bouterse of Akron. “It’s the first weekend my son and I have had off in a while and he’s been coming out here with us since he was a child.”
Joe is now 21.
“We’re lucky we beat the rain and really lucky that we beat the cold weather,” said her husband, Paul.
“Of course, we would have come this weekend even if it was snowing,” his wife said. “We also look forward to this and for the hot chocolate, cider and coffee and popcorn after we cut down the tree.”
In their first tree venture, 7-year-old Jaxon Clark and his 6-year-old brother Lucas of Jackson Township were picking out and helping to cut down their own tree.
“We checked the weather first and found out it would be rain-free,” said their father, William Clark. “It’s not expected to rain for a few more hours.”
Jaxon and Lucas crossed a creek with a sled to get to one of the tree lines. They were excited with their selection, an 8-foot Fraser fir. They had fun dragging the tree to the Tree House, stopping again to check out the creek.
“We will have three trees in the house, but this one will be the only live tree. It will be their tree,” said their mother, Jennifer Clark. “They can decorate it with all of the handmade ornaments they have made in school over the years, along with the ornaments given to them from their grandparents.”
Grandparents Dianne and Denny Boothe of Doylestown have been cutting their own Christmas trees for more than 20 years.
“It’s easy to pick out the perfect tree,” Dianne Boothe said. “When you see it, you know it.”
Not so easy a task for Daniel Lavery, 23, of Clinton. Placing a leash on his 135-pound Great Dane, Icon, Lavery said his family was looking for a 12-footer.
“He drives a big truck and has a big dog, so he needs a big tree; it makes sense,” said his girlfriend, Amber Edmond, 22, of Wooster. Icon is 6 feet 2 inches tall when he stands on two legs.
After searching rows and rows of trees, Lavery was relieved to learn he could find 12-foot Canaan fir trees on one of the neighboring family farms and there were free wagon rides to the site.
Tracy Stutzman of Chippewa Township, her 13-year-old daughter, Morgan, and her daughter’s friend Nicole Trogdon, 14, of Marshallville, felt adventurous and decided to cut their own tree.
“Every year we get a flier in the mail from Galehouse, but we never thought about cutting our own tree, even though it’s right down the street,” Tracy Stutzman said. “Today it was warm, so we set out for some adventure.”
Morgan said she wanted a tall tree, “not one with flimsy needles, but not too hard.”
Nicole agreed.
“Yeah, not pokey; we don’t want to get hurt.”
A walk to the left, then to the right, and then there it was.
“This is perfect, and it’s not too prickly,” Morgan said as she knelt down to begin sawing.
“Cut the bottom limbs first,” Stutzman said. “I haven’t actually cut down a tree myself, but I’ve seen others do it. Now go back and forth with the saw.”
Next Nicole stepped in.
“It’s hard to cut. It’s stuck,” she said, adding that it looked easier than it really was.
“Keep at it. You’re getting there,” Stutzman said.
She finished the task as the trio yelled out, “Timber!”
The 6-foot tall blue spruce was loaded on the wagon and taken to the balers and shakers, where the loose needles are shaken off and the tree is wrapped to carry.
Members of the Hershberger family of Marshallville said they started cutting their own trees just a few years ago and donated their artificial tree to their church.
“We enjoy the fresh smell of the live tree and will never go back to the fake tree,” said Tammy Hershberger. “It’s also a nice family outing.”
Owner Shirley Galehouse said she has been planting trees for 63 years. She and her daughter, Amy, who is the general manager, operate the farm. It was originally Shirley Galehouse’s father-in-law’s farm, which started out with about 10 acres. She and her late husband, Jim, took the farm over when her in-laws’ health failed. She and her husband, who died 21 years ago, expanded the farm and it now has 200 acres of trees.
Shirley Galehouse said it takes 10 to 12 years for pine trees to mature and 14 years for fir trees.
“For the past 30 years, I planted 1,000 trees per acre every year until the last five years,” she said. “ My grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be cutting down the trees I seeded.”
Galehouse Tree Farms is at 11762 Coal Bank Road in Chippewa Township. It is open seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., for cut-your-own trees. Cut trees are available 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily until Dec. 23. The farm also offers the Tree House gift shop, refreshments and live reindeer for viewing. Call 330-658-2480.
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.