Christmas trees

[scrubbuster]

Has anyone rented land out for Christmas trees? Looks good financially but it would be for 10 years so it's a long commitment. Just looking to hear some pros and cons from folk that have done it. I would also get some work with the tractor of the back of it

 

[whitefox]

is this for a large Danish grower?,sorry for being nosey,but it is something I should be looking into for my own farm i,have done some clearance and ground prep work on xmas tree farms

 

[scrubbuster]

It is. I have dealt with the guy a lot as a contractor. He lives in the Highlands most of the time nowadays. He has always been good to deal with except for a bit of a language barrier on the phone!

 

[Exfarmer]

Not sure situation in Scotland, but in England and Wales ane lease longer than 7 years must be negotiated through a solicitor and entered on the land registry

 

[NewFarmer2020]

I have a small piece of land with Christmas Trees, mostly 5-8 feet (but some pretty high i think up to 20 feet), in about 2 acres land in Kent.

There are some small ones c 3-4 feet, which I am not sure to sell this year or not?

I'm absolutely new to it, any thoughts on how to sell these off, pricing etc?

 

[delilah]

I have a small piece of land with Christmas Trees, mostly 5-8 feet (but some pretty high i think up to 20 feet), in about 2 acres land in Kent.

There are some small ones c 3-4 feet, which I am not sure to sell this year or not?

I'm absolutely new to it, any thoughts on how to sell these off, pricing etc?

Selling direct best margin if you can bear dealing with the public, plenty Farmers Markets in Kent, have a look at what's near you.

https://www.kfma.org.uk/

 

[NewFarmer2020]

Selling direct best margin if you can bear dealing with the public, plenty Farmers Markets in Kent, have a look at what's near you.

https://www.kfma.org.uk/

Thanks, will take a look. I can manage dealing with public, plus launching online shop, to manage thru covid situation. Although, won't write-off good wholesale option

 

[Chae1]

Christmas is cancelled this year.

Won't need trees.

 

[ACEngineering]

Has anyone rented land out for Christmas trees? Looks good financially but it would be for 10 years so it's a long commitment. Just looking to hear some pros and cons from folk that have done it. I would also get some work with the tractor of the back of it

Might struggle with selling a 20footer to general public! Imagine that on the car roof

Maybe some local town councils etc or
Who ever does the town trees might be worth a shout. Or some big shopping places/outlets although with covid that's probably not going to happen this year!

 

[spikeislander]

I have a small piece of land with Christmas Trees, mostly 5-8 feet (but some pretty high i think up to 20 feet), in about 2 acres land in Kent.

There are some small ones c 3-4 feet, which I am not sure to sell this year or not?

I'm absolutely new to it, any thoughts on how to sell these off, pricing etc?

If you can sell them then start at that height if you have a lot coming on .
I grow and sell direct to public .
I left my first ones letting them get bigger and the next thing you know they are past the 6-8 ft sweet spot .
Try buying a few bigger ones in from a wholesaler then you’ll start to get a customer base for when yours get taller.
I sold them for 7 years before setting my own .
They require a lot of work people don’t realise annual pruning , weeding, fertilizer, aphid spray etc.
If I could buy in fresh ones of a good standard it’s nearly as easy to just put a margin on .

 

[Willie adie]

It is. I have dealt with the guy a lot as a contractor. He lives in the Highlands most of the time nowadays. He has always been good to deal with except for a bit of a language barrier on the phone!

Could be the sane Danish guy I know he had ground down our way a good lot in fact and there was never any issues.
Our old place was wanting for Xmas trees, but we wanted to wait and see how the ground was after 10 yrs in the place just up the road after its 10 Yr term was over

 

[Willie adie]

Christmas is cancelled this year.

Won't need trees.

Wait till that's announced, then we will see civil unrest

 

[Chae1]

Wait till that's announced, then we will see civil unrest

I've told our kids! They took it quite well.

 

[NewFarmer2020]

If you can sell them then start at that height if you have a lot coming on .
I grow and sell direct to public .
I left my first ones letting them get bigger and the next thing you know they are past the 6-8 ft sweet spot .
Try buying a few bigger ones in from a wholesaler then you’ll start to get a customer base for when yours get taller.
I sold them for 7 years before setting my own .
They require a lot of work people don’t realise annual pruning , weeding, fertilizer, aphid spray etc.
If I could buy in fresh ones of a good standard it’s nearly as easy to just put a margin on .

Thanks for your comment.

What sort of profit margin reduction I should expect, if selling to wholeseller, instead of direct to public?

How many trees per acre can be grown and what is the expected time frame for them to achieve 6-8 feet height? And also, what size of land is ideal to make enough living from it?

Many thanks

 

[toquark]

Could be the sane Danish guy I know he had ground down our way a good lot in fact and there was never any issues.
Our old place was wanting for Xmas trees, but we wanted to wait and see how the ground was after 10 yrs in the place just up the road after its 10 Yr term was over

How did it look after 10 years? I remember shooting over Christmas trees years ago and remember them digging out the stumps at the end of the rotation.

 

[dudders]

Bear in mind people will be nicking them if it's anywhere close to a road or town. Doesn't take long to fill a transit van...