Independence · Louisiana
Yawn Station Christmas Tree Farm
A family-run farm in Independence, Louisiana, where you choose and cut your own Leyland cypress, from 3 to 14.5 feet tall, with hand saws on hand and staff ready to cut for you, alongside fresh Fraser firs trucked in from North Carolina, flocking, tree stands and handmade wreaths, a Christmas market on weekends, a Christmas train, a playground, friendly goats, a concession stand, a gift shop and a Cookies With Santa afternoon on December 6.
At a glance
Your tree visit.
- Tree choices
- Cut your own · Choose a tree; staff cuts · Pre-cut trees
- Field-grown Leyland cypress and pre-cut Fraser fir
- Ask the farm for tree prices
Trees are priced by height, and flocking, a tree stand and whether the tree is a field-grown Leyland cypress or a Fraser fir change the total. Cookies With Santa is $20 per child, and parents are free. All major cards are accepted.
Prices & conditions ↓ - Visit times
Open Saturday, November 21 through Sunday, December 13, 9am–5pm daily; Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26, 2pm–5pm. Christmas Market weekends: November 21–22, November 27–29 and December 5–6. Cookies With Santa on Sunday, December 6, 1pm–3pm.
Full schedule ↓
Find your tree
Choose your Christmas tree.
The field trees are homegrown Leyland cypress in three kinds, Leighton Green, Naylor Blue and Murray's Ovensii, ranging from 3 to 14.5 feet tall. Young Arizona cypress and Virginia pines are growing strong for future seasons and are not ready to cut yet. Pick your tree and cut it yourself with a farm saw, or ask the staff on site to cut it for you.
Fresh Fraser firs come in from North Carolina rather than from the field here. The farm picks them up in a refrigerated truck, recuts the trunk and stands them in water when they arrive, so they stay fresh and fragrant. Ask the farm when the firs arrive.
Published varieties
- Leyland cypress
- Fraser fir (pre-cut)
Which variety suits your decorations?
General tree guidance; the farm’s selection, sizes and services are described above.
- Fraser fir
- Upward branches and good needle retention; firmer branches can suit heavier ornaments.
Learn more: University of Wisconsin Extension ↗ · National Christmas Tree Association ↗
Compare the options
Trees & prices.
Trees are priced by height, with flocking, stands and the kind of tree changing the total. All major cards are accepted.
| Selection & size | Price |
|---|---|
| Field-grown Leyland cypress, 3 to 14.5 feet | Ask the farm Priced by height. |
| Pre-cut Fraser fir | Priced by height Trucked in from North Carolina; a separate choice from the field trees. |
| Flocking | Varies by size and level of flocking Flocked trees and wreaths need about 24 hours to dry. |
| Tree stands | Several options Sold at the farm. |
| Fresh wreaths | Varies by size Preorder for a large order. |
| Hand saws | Provided by the farm Available once you purchase your tree; saws brought from home are not allowed. |
| Shaking, netting, loading and tying the tree on | Done for you by the staff Employees shake and net the tree, load it and tie it to your car if necessary. |
| Cookies With Santa, per child | $20 Sunday, December 6, 1pm–3pm. Parents are free. A separate ticket from buying a tree. |
| School field trip, per person | $8 Students, parents and chaperones, collected in advance; two teachers per class and bus drivers are free. Dates fill early. |
Choose and cut a Leyland cypress in the field
Yawn Station grows its own Leyland cypress in three kinds: Leighton Green, Naylor Blue and Murray's Ovensii. The field trees range from 3 to 14.5 feet tall, and the family is also raising young Arizona cypress and Virginia pines that are not ready for this season. The farm suggests coming early in the season for the best selection.
You can cut your own tree or let the staff do it. The farm provides hand saws once you have purchased your tree, and employees on site will cut a tree down for you if you would rather. Please leave your own saw in the vehicle, because the farm does not allow saws from home and asks anyone seen with one to put it back in the car. After the tree is down, whether you cut it or the staff did, employees shake and net it and get it ready for the trip. When you are ready to leave, pull around to the loading area, where the staff load the tree and tie it to your car if necessary.
| Item | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Trees | Homegrown Leyland cypress: Leighton Green, Naylor Blue and Murray's Ovensii. |
| Sizes | 3 to 14.5 feet tall. |
| Saws | Hand saws are provided once you purchase your tree. Saws from home are not allowed. |
| Staff cutting | Employees on site will cut the tree down for you. |
| Shake, net and load | Employees shake and net the tree, load it at the loading area and tie it to your car if necessary. |
| Price | Priced by height. |
Fresh Fraser fir from North Carolina
For a pre-cut tree, the farm brings in fresh Fraser firs from North Carolina. It works with growers who send freshly cut firs, picks them up in a refrigerated truck, and then recuts them and stands them in water when they arrive. The firs are trimmed and kept in water to stay fresh and fragrant.
These firs are a separate choice from the field-grown cypress, and the price depends on height.
Tree prices, flocking, stands and wreaths
Trees are priced by height, and the total also depends on any add-ons you choose, such as flocking or a tree stand, and on whether you pick a field-grown tree or a Fraser fir. The farm would rather you come out and spend the day finding the right tree for your budget, so ask the farm for current prices before you come.
Flocked trees and wreaths need about 24 hours to dry, so plan around that. Wreaths are handcrafted fresh, and a large order needs to be preordered. Several tree stand options are on hand.
| Item | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Leyland cypress, 3 to 14.5 feet | Ask the farm | Priced by height. |
| Pre-cut Fraser fir | Priced by height | Trucked in from North Carolina. |
| Flocking | Varies by size and level of flocking | Allow about 24 hours to dry. |
| Tree stands | Several options | Sold at the farm. |
| Fresh wreaths | Varies by size | Preorder for a large order. Flocked wreaths need about 24 hours to dry. |
| Payment | All major cards | Ask the farm about cash and checks. |
Season dates and hours
The farm is open from Saturday, November 21 through Sunday, December 13, daily from 9am to 5pm, with one exception: on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26, it opens from 2pm to 5pm. The farm suggests coming early in the season for the best selection.
The season ends on Sunday, December 13.
| When | Hours | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, November 21 (opening day) | 9am–5pm | Christmas Market weekend |
| Sunday, November 22 | 9am–5pm | Christmas Market weekend |
| Monday–Wednesday, November 23–25 | 9am–5pm | Regular hours |
| Thursday, November 26 (Thanksgiving Day) | 2pm–5pm | Shorter hours |
| Friday–Sunday, November 27–29 | 9am–5pm | Christmas Market weekend |
| Monday–Friday, November 30–December 4 | 9am–5pm | Regular hours |
| Saturday, December 5 | 9am–5pm | Christmas Market weekend |
| Sunday, December 6 | 9am–5pm | Christmas Market weekend; Cookies With Santa 1pm–3pm, ticketed |
| Monday–Sunday, December 7–13 | 9am–5pm | Season ends Sunday, December 13 |
Christmas Market, the train, the playground and the goats
On three weekends the farm hosts a Christmas Market, with local vendors selling handmade and homemade treasures: November 21–22, November 27–29 and December 5–6.
Between the field and the car there is plenty to do with children. Take a ride on the Christmas train, let the kids play on the playground, and feed the very friendly goats. A concession stand serves goodies, picnic tables are nearby, and the gift shop is a good place to get some Christmas shopping done. Ask the farm about any charge for the train ride and for goat feed.
| Extra | Details |
|---|---|
| Christmas Market | Weekends of November 21–22, November 27–29 and December 5–6: local vendors with handmade and homemade goods. |
| Christmas train | A ride on the Christmas train. The train can accommodate wheelchairs. |
| Playground | A playground for the children. |
| Goats | Very friendly goats waiting to be fed. |
| Concession stand and picnic tables | Goodies to enjoy, with picnic tables at the snack area. |
| Gift shop | Christmas shopping close to the field. |
Cookies With Santa
On Sunday, December 6, from 1pm to 3pm, Santa joins the farm for Cookies With Santa, and Selfie Santa is back. Every child visits with Santa and enjoys cookies and juice, and goes home with a Yawn Station ornament, a coloring book and a teddy bear.
Tickets are $20 per child, and parents are free. Tickets are bought online through the farm's website, and they are a separate purchase from buying a tree.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date and time | Sunday, December 6, 1pm–3pm |
| Price | $20 per child; parents are free |
| Each child receives | A visit with Santa, cookies and juice, a Yawn Station ornament, a coloring book and a teddy bear |
| Tickets | Bought online through the farm's website |
School field trips and photographers
School groups from Pre-K, Kindergarten, First Grade and Special Education classes can visit on a field trip to decorate an ornament, ride the train, pick a classroom tree or wreath, enjoy a snack and play on the playground. Time slots are 9:30am or 11:30am. The cost is $8 for students, parents and chaperones and is collected in advance; two teachers per class and bus drivers are free. Payment is by school check, credit card or cash. Field trip dates book up; ask the farm about openings.
Professional photographers book mini-session days in the weeks before the farm opens; the farm sets one day fee of $150 with a $50 deposit.
| Group | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| School field trip, per person | $8 | Students, parents and chaperones; collected in advance. Two teachers per class and bus drivers are free. Dates fill early. |
Getting there, pets and practical details
From New Orleans, take I-55 North to exit 40, then Highway 40 West for 4 miles to Korner Stop Grocery. Turn left beside the store and go 1.6 miles, turning right at the stop sign. Continue on Horseshoe Road to Ruby Purvis Road, and take a right into the farm. From Baton Rouge, take I-12 East to the Albany exit, then Highway 43 North for 8.3 miles to Horseshoe Road North. Turn right, go about 1.2 miles and turn left on Ruby Purvis Road.
Dogs are welcome, as long as they are leashed at all times. All major cards are accepted. Ask the farm about parking, restrooms and weather closures.
| Topic | At the farm |
|---|---|
| Address | 29400 Ruby Purvis Road, Independence, LA 70443 |
| Hours | Daily 9am–5pm; Thanksgiving Day 2pm–5pm |
| Dogs | Welcome, leashed at all times |
| Payment | All major cards are accepted |
| Saws | The farm provides hand saws; saws from home are not allowed |
| Train | Can accommodate wheelchairs |
The farm, the family and contacts
Joe and Kay Gersch planted the first trees here and joined the Southern Christmas Tree Association the same year, and the farm later opened to the public. Today their son, Little Joe, owns and operates it with his wife, Connie, who keeps things running smoothly and handcrafts the fresh wreaths.
Call the farm at (985) 323-7926 with questions, including field trips, or email yawnstation@gmail.com. Season news and updates are on the farm's Facebook page.
Pick your day
Dates & hours.
Tree season: Saturday, November 21 through Sunday, December 13
The farm is open from Saturday, November 21 through Sunday, December 13, daily from 9am to 5pm, except Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26, when it opens from 2pm to 5pm. The farm suggests coming early in the season for the best selection.
| Christmas tree season | Hours |
|---|---|
| Saturday, November 21 (opening day) | 9am–5pm; Christmas Market weekend |
| Sunday, November 22 | 9am–5pm; Christmas Market weekend |
| Monday–Wednesday, November 23–25 | 9am–5pm |
| Thursday, November 26 (Thanksgiving Day) | 2pm–5pm |
| Friday–Sunday, November 27–29 | 9am–5pm; Christmas Market weekend |
| Monday–Friday, November 30–December 4 | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday, December 5 | 9am–5pm; Christmas Market weekend |
| Sunday, December 6 | 9am–5pm; Christmas Market weekend; Cookies With Santa 1pm–3pm (ticketed) |
| Monday–Sunday, December 7–13 (last day of the season) | 9am–5pm |
Open daily from November 21 through December 13.
Before you go.
- Open Saturday, November 21 through Sunday, December 13, daily 9am–5pm; Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26, 2pm–5pm.
- Choose and cut Leyland cypress, 3 to 14.5 feet, with hand saws provided and staff happy to cut for you; saws from home are not allowed.
- Fresh Fraser firs are trucked in from North Carolina.
- Christmas Market weekends: November 21–22, November 27–29 and December 5–6, with the train, playground, goats, concession stand and gift shop.
- Cookies With Santa, Sunday, December 6, 1pm–3pm, $20 per child; parents are free.
- Leashed dogs welcome; all major cards accepted. Call (985) 323-7926 or email yawnstation@gmail.com.
29400 Ruby Purvis Road, Independence, LA 70443
Keep exploring
Other farms to compare.
Minden, Louisiana
Hollis Christmas Tree FarmChoose a field-grown Leyland or Murray cypress from $85, or a Virginia pine from $50, and the family cuts, shakes, bales and loads it. Opens Saturday, November 21: Saturdays 9am–5pm, Sundays 1pm–5pm, weekdays 3pm–5pm after Black Friday; cash or check preferred.
Calhoun, Louisiana
Precious Memories Christmas Tree FarmChoose your tree in the field and the staff cut, net and tie it to your vehicle, with free sleigh rides behind an antique tractor. Opens Saturday, November 21: Monday–Friday 10am–5pm, Saturday–Sunday 8am–5pm; opening weekend adds giant games, a petting zoo and Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus.
Grant, Louisiana
Grant FarmsChoose a cypress, pine or Blue Ice tree in the field and the staff cut it; trees average $12 per foot, so a 6-foot tree runs about $72-$78. Open until Sunday, December 20: Monday–Saturday 9am–5pm, Sunday 1pm–5pm; staff cutting starts November 21 and pre-tagging takes 50% down.