X-mas tree farming It's really cheap to do!!

[gordon21]

X-mas tree farming It\'s really cheap to do!!

I have recently learned just how inexpensive it is to get a personal size small x-mas tree farm started. Frazier fir transplants run about a $1 each. You can easily plant 250 trees on one acre and leave space for roads between every 3rd or 4th row for the tractor. Push a shovel into the ground, rock it back and forth to make a V. Put the 15-18" tree into the V and tamp the V closed with your foot. Repeat 249 more times. Keep them watered and the real work begins in 3-4 years when you have to start shaping them. I may be off base, but it seems as though an initial $250 investment would yield more trees than you or your friends and family could ever use. 6-9 years later everyone can have a huge tree at no cost. Of course to keep the sizes flowing, you would want to plant another 50 every year to insure a steady supply down the road. Assuming crop loss due to numerous reasons, a start with 250 seems fair. Trees don't need flat or tilled land.
Perfect rows are not important. The rows can follow the land you have. What do you guys think?

 

[MossRoad]

Re: X-mas tree farming It\'s really cheap to do!!

Weed control = spraying or mowing.
Water = irrigation in drought.
Pest control, both insect and furry = insecticides and shotguns(or traps, or repellants, etc...).
Disease control = spraying, ground cover management, etc...
Trimming labor = cost per tree per year.
X 7-8 years before tree is harvestable. More years if you want larger trees. Plant some seedlings, one year old and two year old trees to get a three year head start.

It isn't as cheap as it sounds, but can still be a good business if done correctly. If just doing it for family and friends, it could be fun. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Also, everyone doesn't want a fir tree and planting more varieties makes you less vulnerable to being wiped out by a tree disease or insect infestation. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

We looked into it a few years back and decided not to go into it at that time. There are a few folks here on TBN that do it. Hopefully they will chime in.

 

[Doc_Bob]

Re: X-mas tree farming It\'s really cheap to do!!

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Weed control = spraying or mowing.
Water = irrigation in drought.
Pest control, both insect and furry = insecticides and shotguns(or traps, or repellants, etc...).
Disease control = spraying, ground cover management, etc...
Trimming labor = cost per tree per year.
X 7-8 years before tree is harvestable. More years if you want larger trees. Plant some seedlings, one year old and two year old trees to get a three year head start.

It isn't as cheap as it sounds, but can still be a good business if done correctly. If just doing it for family and friends, it could be fun. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Also, everyone doesn't want a fir tree and planting more varieties makes you less vulnerable to being wiped out by a tree disease or insect infestation. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

We looked into it a few years back and decided not to go into it at that time. There are a few folks here on TBN that do it. Hopefully they will chime in. )</font>

Sounds like a great business!!! I would love to do the same thing on my 10 acres. Any tax advice? Can it be acceptable for tax purposes? Any pitfalls? I sure appreciate any advice that you might have to offer.
Bob

 

[dknarnd]

Re: X-mas tree farming It\'s really cheap to do!!

My brothers and I did this and we had good trees for all the family and many friends for several years. Then needle cast disease got into our field and we were lucky to get three trees out this past year. Now we have to cut them down and burn them.

The trimming isn't to bad but you have to be ready to spray at the right times of the year and always checking for insects or other disease that may require care.

 

[gordon21]

Re: X-mas tree farming It\'s really cheap to do!!

Bugs?? Disease?? You guys are starting to take the fun out of this project. I will still do it though. It was never meant to be a business or to sell to the public. But after listening to all the things that could happen, I'll be in good shape to start with 250 treees if I want 20 per year harvest starting in year 5-6. I knew about the trimming, but I am not really surprised that there will be a bunch of diseases to control. I scanned the new TSC catalog and saw all the various livestock drugs. TSC has drugs for a ton of ailments I have heard of and and many more for things I never heard of. After seeing all the things a horse or dairy framer has to prevent, it is truly amazing that a farm can raise hundreds or thousands of healthy animals.

 

[MossRoad]

Re: X-mas tree farming It\'s really cheap to do!!

Be sure to check with your local county extension agent, too. There are many programs that you can get help with for free. They can tell you what types of trees do best in your soil conditions, what types of diseases and pests to whatch out for, etc.... there may also be programs to take land out of farm production, soil errision control and reforestation that may help pay for part or all of your trees. It is worth checking in to. Better do it soon as spring is fast approaching and that is the start of planting season. Or, you could plan a little longer and plant trees next spring. Good luck. Sounds like a great project. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[JoeinTX]

Re: X-mas tree farming It\'s really cheap to do!!

I'm certainly not trying to be a downer, but I remember hearing back around Christmas time how hard of a time tree farmers were having. It seems that more people are buying fake trees, rather than real trees, and the growers are going out of business due to lower sales than in the past.

May be neither here nor there, but I thought I'd mention it.

Best of luck if you decide to do it, however.

 

[valleydweller1]

Re: X-mas tree farming It\'s really cheap to do!!

In my neck of the woods it's mostly done on smaller acreages for tax purposes. You can plant trees and schedule the harvest for 30 years in the future. During that 30 years you don't have to pay property taxes (ag deferral) and get to deduct tractors and tools used for "maintaining" your farm.

 

[crazymike]

Re: X-mas tree farming It\'s really cheap to do!!

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I'm certainly not trying to be a downer, but I remember hearing back around Christmas time how hard of a time tree farmers were having. It seems that more people are buying fake trees, rather than real trees, and the growers are going out of business due to lower sales than in the past.

May be neither here nor there, but I thought I'd mention it.

Best of luck if you decide to do it, however. )</font>

I guess it depends where it is. Around here the big tree outfit makes regular donations of hundreds of thousands of dollars to charities, etc... so they must be doing something right.

 

[Doc_Bob]

Re: X-mas tree farming It\'s really cheap to do!!

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( In my neck of the woods it's mostly done on smaller acreages for tax purposes. You can plant trees and schedule the harvest for 30 years in the future. During that 30 years you don't have to pay property taxes (ag deferral) and get to deduct tractors and tools used for "maintaining" your farm.
)</font>

Anyone at TBN doing this? I would to know where I can start to learn about this idea. Any help greatly appreciated.
Bob