By Heather Rader

Posted On: Dec 7, 2020

For many families, cutting down your own Christmas tree has become a yearly tradition and the kickoff to celebrating the holiday season. There's just something special about walking through rows of lush Evergreens, smelling the fresh pine air and laughing with your family while searching for the perfect Christmas tree.

When I was a child, every Thanksgiving weekend we'd drive to a local tree farm to search for the perfect Christmas tree. Walking pass small, medium and large trees, I'd always want a giant tree, my father would shake his head and point me towards the medium and large trees. Sometimes our hunt for the perfect tree would take 20 minutes, other years it was an hour of walking through the fields to find "the one." While at the time I thought our yearly Christmas tree outings were to find the perfect tree, as I've gotten older, I realize it was actually about spending the day with my family and creating lifelong holiday memories.

Continuing my family tradition, while creating our own holiday tradition, my husband and I set out to find the perfect tree at Carl & Dorothy Young's Christmas Tree Farm. Since 1985, the Young's Christmas Tree Farm has grown evergreen trees in numerous varieties-Canaan Fir, Concolor Fir, Norway Spruce Scotch Pine and White Pine. The first planting of trees, thirty-five years ago, consisted of 1,500 trees and now this 30-acre Christmas tree farm has more than 27,000 trees.

At the red barn, we grabbed a sled and hand saw then ventured out to explore the 30-acres for the perfect Christmas tree. We tromped through the mud, over the bridge and towards the back of lot to find the taller, fuller trees. We decided to get a Canaan Fir and walked through rows and rows of trees to find one that was just right for our living room.

Once we found the perfect one, my husband cut it down, loaded it up on the sled and we headed back to the barn with tree in tow. The staff trimmed the lower branches, cut a hole in the bottom, shook out, wrapped and loaded our tree. We can't wait to get our tree home to decorate it and I'll cherish this day like I do my childhood days of searching for the perfect Christmas tree.

There’s lots of holiday fun to be found in the area, why not make it a fun day trip by supporting local shops in nearby Yellow Springs or Downtown Springfield. Visit Young’s Jersey Dairy next door before getting your tree and visit with the farm animals and savor holiday-inspired flavored homemade ice cream. After getting your tree, visit Clifton Mill to see one of the best holiday lights displays in Ohio and then head home to decorate your tree while reminiscing about the fun memories you created.

More Ohio spots to pick out the perfect Christmas Tree:

• Ohio Christmas Tree Farm Finder 
• Oakland Nurseries
• Homestead Farm
• Needle and Pine Christmas Tree Farm
• M&M Tree Farm
• Rick and Carl's Christmas Trees
• Flower Family Tree Farm
• 7P Trees - Christmas Tree Farm
• Mountain Creek Tree Farm
• Storeyland Christmas Tree Farm
• Medina Christmas Tree Farm
• Caywood Christmas Tree Farm
• Apsley Family Christmas Trees
• Dickess Christmas Tree Farm
• Bartels Farm
• Shaker Tract Tree Farm
• Advent Christmas Tree Farm 

For more #HolidaysInOhio inspiration, check out #OhioFindItHere at Ohio.org. 

NOTE: Stay up to date on all health mandates and safety precautions. Learn more about the guidelines surrounding COVID-19.