Pioneer Times photo/Gloria Austin
THAT’S IT — Doris Scott, left, of Scott Christmas Tree Farms, helps Maurice Merett pick up the perfect tree, as Mary Lowery looks on. The couple got their tree at the Scott’s North Road lot.
By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
As Christmas approaches, there are a couple of places to find just the right tree.
Over the river and through the woods
Over the river and through the woods. No, not to grandma’s house. This is the location where tiny seedlings grow into the green attraction of the holiday season on Scott Christmas Tree Farms in Linneus. The best thing is that you do not have to make a trek through Scott’s 80 acres of trees to hunt for the perfect one.
Instead, they keep a fresh cut of trees — all sizes and shapes — on their lot on the North Road in front of Tang’s for easy choosing.
This is the 25th year that Scott Christmas Tree Farms has provided their emerald showpieces for purchase to the community. They have been in the same location since Furniture Floors North was on the property and before that, the Scotts sold their trees at the Houlton Shopping Plaza.
“From planting to sale, a tree is anywhere between seven and 10 years, with bigger ones being 12 years and older,” said Doris Scott, who runs the operation with her husband, Donnie. “You have to wait a few years before really trimming and maintaining their shape.”
Scott Christmas Tree Farms opened their stand the day after Thanksgiving. The stand is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
“We generally do not start cutting our trees until the second week of November,” said Scott. “We want to make sure our trees are fresh.”
Like many Maine tree farms, the Scotts also ship their trees to the south, which may require earlier cutting to meet the demand of early sales.
“Sales have been changing over the years,” Scott explained. “When we first started, people would buy right up until Christmas Eve. But, we are in a society where I think Christmas comes much earlier. So, sales come earlier and they wane quicker on the other end.”
Pioneer Times photo/Gloria Austin
PERFECT SIZE — Leigha Swallow, 20 months, braves the cold to find just the perfect size Christmas tree on her Nana and Papa’s farm in Houlton.
The Scotts will probably close their tree lot Dec. 20 or Dec. 22 this season.
“Usually if people don’t have their trees by the 15th or 20th, we tell them to come to the house and we will get them one,” said Scott. “This way, we do not have the waste.”
What happens to the homeless Christmas trees?
“We have a nice bonfire on New Year’s Eve,” laughed Scott. “No, we try to really watch [the excess]. Because we do the fresh cuts, we are not left with an exuberant amount in the end. If we can keep it seven and below, we are happy.”
The North Street stand with its crisp, green branches savoring the senses is very visible on the North Road.
“It’s a labor of love,” said Scott.
And that love has been going for quite some time.
“People coming in say they remember buying trees here when they were a kid … not to make me feel old,” she laughed. “But, they are bringing their kids in now. It is very much a tradition. It’s nice.”
The Scotts maintain approximately 80,000 trees.
“I do not count each one,” laughed Scott.
But, the Scotts’ sons are very active in helping with the Christmas tree stand.
“Every weekend, the boys are here with us,” Scott said. “It’s a good union for the family. However, Daniel loves it. He loves the sales. He is my little salesman and I get a lot of compliments on him and that is nice.”
Scott’s son arrives in the afternoon and closes up the stand.
“I remember not too long ago, I’d be here all day, every day,” she said.
The Houlton Police Department monitors the tree stand during evening hours and theft from the stand is low.
“We want to make sure none walk off the lot,” Scott said with a smile. “But, I have a theory, if you are going to steal a Christmas tree to celebrate the birth of Christ, that is really not good karma.”
The Scotts’ Christmas Tree Farms stand holds around 42 trees.
If we run short, we make a call for more to be delivered,” Scott said.
Want to roam a farm for the perfect Christmas tree?
For those people who want to create a tradition for their family of walking through a tree farm to find just the “right” tree, consider Pleasant View Tree Farms, owned and operated by Rob and Tammie Mulvey, at 1190 Calais Road in Hodgdon.
“It’s fun watching families trying to decide which tree to get,” said Tammie. “A lot of people bring their cameras and take photos. We love it.”
For the last six years, the couple has run a ‘choose and cut’ tree farm from their home, with a second “choose and cut” location, on the Lynds Road in Monticello (in partnership with Dan Corey), which is open on Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
In 2002, the Mulveys moved to the Calais Road and started planting trees.
“There weren’t any other ‘choose your own’ tree farms in the area, so we figured we would start one,” said Rob. “It’s a good family tradition for people. We have families that come out and spend an hour or so searching for just the right tree.”
For those that don’t want to cut their own tree, there are numerous pre-cut trees on hand and ready to go.
The Mulveys also spend an amount of time grooming seedlings until they are mature enough to be harvested. The Mulveys plant about 20,000 seedlings a year and currently own more than 100,000 trees scattered around 14 locations in the area. At their Calais Road home, there are roughly 1,700 trees when fully planted.
Trees come in a variety of sizes. The largest stand 12 feet high, while the most common size is a 6-foot tree. They grow about a foot each year. While there are a variety of trees commonly used as Christmas trees, the Mulveys only sell balsam firs on their farm.
Choosing a real tree over an artificial one, aside from just looking nicer, actually helps the environment, the Mulveys said because not only do trees produce oxygen, they are also a renewable resource.
“And you can’t duplicate the smell of a real tree,” Tammie said. “You can try with sprays and candles, but it’s not the same.”
Pleasant View Tree Farm traditionally opens the day after Thanksgiving. They also sell trees wholesale. The Mulveys have been growing Christmas trees for 25 years and they have a shop at their house, which they sell many different products.
“We started off with Christmas trees, then wreaths and other Christmas decorations and gifts,” said Tammie.
In addition to Christmas trees, the Mulveys also sell wreaths of all shapes and sizes with a huge selection of bows. Centerpieces, garland, lotions, bath teas, birdhouses, ornaments, decoration, and small, potted treelings that can be used as centerpieces or planted in a yard. Pleasant View Tree Farm sends trees annually to Trees For Troops.
This year, the Mulveys have a tree for their furry friends at the Ark Animal Sanctuary for Christmas gifts and baked goods each weekend for their benefit, as well.
The Mulvey’s Christmas shop in Hodgdon is open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“We are open to any suggestions and will take orders at various seasons,” said Tammie. “If you are looking to spruce up your yard, we may just have the right item for you. If not, we will do our best to get it or send you in the right direction where you can get it.”
Several years ago, the Mulveys started growing strawberries and selling them in July. They also have flowering shrubs like lilacs, hydrangeas, spirea and roses that sell both at our shop and the Houlton Community Market.
“We grow and sell many varieties of apple trees, plum trees and evergreens,” Tammie said. “We also sell balsam fir live in pots or ball and burlap, along with a variety of fall mums. We are growing our products to meet our customers needs.”
