Sunday, October 4th, we adventured to Howard Tree Farm located at 4645 W. Jacobs Road in Perry. This farm is located off the beaten path and we traveled down dirt country roads to find it. Fortunately, we saw a sign along the way and the GPS provided accurate directions making the journey fun.
The farm features Christmas trees and a Pumpkin patch and I was excited to check it out. Upon arrival, the tree farm appeared smaller than I pictured with a lovely farm house across the road from the rows of Christmas trees. It was a misty, crisp, cool fall day and I was anxious to explore hoping to bring a pumpkin or two home.
Walking up to the farm, we received a very friendly greeting and were introduced to Katie, Ben Howard and their four children. The kids offered us free popcorn (a fun treat available on weekends), cider or hot chocolate. Due to the weather, I decided to enjoy some hot chocolate.
There were many nice pumpkins out in front of the barn, however the farm showcases ten acres of thousands of u-pick pumpkins so we decided to adventure out to find our own. The farm was a lot bigger than I thought offering 35 acres of land. Ben and Katie also have a disassembled 1880’s timber barn from Williamston with plans to rebuild it next year. I think it will be quite a fun sight to visit once restored.
We climbed into the hayride trailer and Ben drove the tractor out to the patch. We were very lucky to be the only ones visiting at that moment to enjoy a private tour.
The hayride was a bit bumpy, however it was both scenic and fun. I do advise drinking your hot chocolate first as I did not have a lid and spilled some during the journey. We laughed about this part of the adventure with Katie and Ben after the hayride and there may be lids available in the near future.
We arrived at the stop in the patch and disembarked the trailer. Ben planned to pick us up after we selected our pumpkins. I have never clipped my own pumpkin off the vine before and this was an easy thing to do using the clippers provided. The u-pick pumpkins were only $5.00 each so we selected two from the patch. One thing we did not realize is that the stems may be a bit prickly so you may want to bring gloves with you to protect your hands.
We loaded the two larger pumpkins in the trailer and took the hayride back to the front. I could not resist selecting a pre-picked baby pumpkin to also come home with us.
I learned Katie and Ben dreamed of owning a Christmas Tree farm, purchasing the place in 2007 and planting their first Christmas trees in the Spring of 2008. It takes approximately seven to eight years for the trees to mature enough to sell which is why last Christmas was their actual first season. We inquired if they had a favorite tree and Ben shared how he loves the Concolor Fir. It features bluish-green (almost silver) longer needles with an orange citrus scent. It is also known for good needle retention. Both Garrin & I had never heard of this type of tree before so we checked it out. It does indeed smell like citrus and is quite striking.
Besides the Concolor Fir, their tree farm also offers the Fraser Fir, Balsam Fir, Canaan Fir, Black Hills Spruce and Colorado Blue Spruce. You are sure to find the perfect pumpkin or tree to bring Halloween and Christmas spirit to your home. If you are in the area, I truly recommend paying a visit to Howard Tree Farm. The Howard family is very welcoming and I know we will be back again.
