The Farm at Raven Brook

Cutting, collection and payment

Use a supplied hand saw or bring your own manual saw; chainsaws must stay at home. Staff can cut for you and transport the tree to the baling station. Pay at The Shoppe, then bring the car to the station and match the ticket to your baled tree. Twine is supplied for you to secure it.

Cash, checks, debit cards, Discover, MasterCard and Visa are accepted; The Shoppe also lists Apple Pay. The general FAQ says field cutting closes at 4pm and precuts may be available to 5pm, but the announced opening weekend ends at 4pm, so plan within that narrower selling window.

The Shoppe and Thanksgiving-weekend extras

The farm makes plain, decorated and custom wreaths from its own evergreens, along with arrangements, evergreen gnomes and custom grave blankets. Handmade ornaments and gifts come from its in-house artist, with special creations arranged separately.

The general Thanksgiving-weekend program describes a food truck, brewery, sugar cookies, axe throwing and pony rides; check the current schedule, availability and separate charges before planning around an activity. The old pickup truck and sleighs are photo spots, while professional photography requires its own booked session.

Wreath evenings and other holiday workshops

The separately posted Brewery 44 program includes a 24-inch wreath-decorating workshop on December 2 and 3 at 6pm, with a $35 seat-and-wreath deposit. A December 5 wreath-making program has 9am and 1pm sessions, a 20-inch farm-greenery wreath and a $45 deposit. The page currently marks both programs booked; check for a new opening before making plans.

Decorations are selected à la carte and paid for at the end by cash, check or card; the deposit is not an all-inclusive decorated-wreath price. Leave personal decorations at home. Snacks may be brought, while alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks are sold separately by the brewery. A December 9 centerpiece workshop and December 16 gift-wrapping evening are listed at 6pm, with further details still to be announced.

• Workshop availability and details ↗

Footwear, dogs and the outdoor visit

Well-behaved dogs are welcome on a leash; bring bags and remove pet waste. Wear sneakers, hiking boots or warm waterproof boots for the natural ground. The farm has uneven or slippery areas, equipment and animals; the pond has no lifeguard. Ask about specific mobility needs before travelling.

Book the setting for photos or a private event

Professional, hobby and client photography sessions are reserved separately from tree shopping. The published fee sheet compares field access, truck and furniture sets, the dock, The Hollow and indoor studio options. Field access can be shared with other booked photographers; a particular set is exclusive only within its described lease. Shared sleighs are offered September–December with a booked session. Most sets do not include decorations unless the description says otherwise.

Private events can be arranged for up to 125 people with exclusive use of the pond, willow-tree and tree-field setting. Packages are quoted separately. The pond is not a supervised swimming area, and neither a private event nor a photography booking is included in buying a tree.

• Photography sessions ↗
• Private events ↗
• Published photography session times, sets and fees ↗
• Photographer agreement and property rules ↗

Separate photography field and set fees

The following rates are the operator’s published photography property and set fees. They do not include a photographer’s portrait package or a Christmas tree. Except for the dock, these rows describe a half-hour setup allowance; agree the arrival and session times when reserving. The field usually accommodates four photographers, with up to seven possible when rain dates have been rescheduled.

The fee-sheet notes say one-hour sessions are not booked on September–December weekends, even though the Hollow row lists wider hourly availability. The Farmall three-hour row repeats “weekdays” rather than clearly establishing weekend access. Confirm those conflicts instead of assuming an exception. Photography on Christmas-tree-season weekends requires the farm’s permission, including Thanksgiving weekend and the following weekend.

Photography session times and outdoor access

The general January–October morning session runs 9am–noon, with setup 8:30–9am; afternoons run 1–4pm, with setup 12:30–1pm. November–December afternoons run noon–3pm, with setup 11:30am–noon. The November–December morning line prints an 8:30am start and an 11:30pm finish against the three-hour session pattern; confirm its actual end time before booking. Golden-hour and evening timing is agreed around the day’s sunset; the general evening programme is described for September–December.

The pond and willow-tree locations can be reserved in advance at no additional location charge; this is needed for exclusive use. The willow is usually in leaf from late April. Eight-hour exclusive use of the outdoor property is offered January–August by quotation, with a half-hour setup and half-hour breakdown allowance. The pond has no lifeguard: swimming, jumping off the dock and running on it are prohibited.

Indoor photography studio choices

The ordinary studio is a 14-by-16-foot room upstairs in the barn, available January–August from 8am–9pm. Its rental includes exclusive room use, heating or air conditioning and Wi-Fi. Setup and breakdown time are not included, props or sets cost extra, and a certificate of insurance is preferred for this studio rental.

The separate decorated Home Sweet Home studio set includes a rounded red sofa, decorated white mantel, lighted evergreen arch and trees, wreath and two photography studio lights. Published September–December weekend blocks are 9am–noon, 1–4pm or 5–8pm at $450 for three hours. An all-day 9am–8pm choice is listed without a rate; obtain that quote instead of applying the three-hour price to a full day.

Photography booking, payment and cancellation

Every photography session must be arranged ahead through the farm’s booking process. One signed photographer agreement is required each year before a session is confirmed. Arrive only at the approved time, check in at The Shoppe before setup and check out when finished. Session payment is due that day before setup, by cash or check only; a returned check carries a $35 fee. Assistants are welcome, but a second photographer bringing additional clients needs a separate booking.

The fee sheet requires eight days’ cancellation notice and says a cancellation with fewer than eight days incurs half the session charge. The agreement additionally conditions its seven-days-or-less charge on the farm being unable to rebook the slot; clarify the applicable terms before reserving. The farm decides weather cancellations on the session day and tries to accommodate a requested rain date. A photographer who cancels for weather before the farm cancels is not guaranteed a rain date and still owes the session fee.

Photography-specific bathroom availability is limited: no bathrooms are listed for photographers or their clients in January–August or December, with portable bathrooms September–November. These conditions do not establish facilities for the general tree-selling visit. Santa photography requires extra coordination with the farm so neighbouring sessions are not disrupted.

Photography props, guests and property conditions

Use the driveway left of the farmhouse and park in front of the barn, keeping the farmhouse drive, walkways and doors clear. No vehicles are permitted in the fields. Bring portable photography equipment and move your own props with an assistant or wagon; oversized props need advance approval. Prearranged farm help moving props costs $50 for setup/breakdown, paid by cash or check. Remove all props and rubbish; a $100 cleanup/damage fee or restrictions on future sessions may apply.

Stay within booked and approved areas; employee-only buildings, closed fields and farm equipment are not open for a session. Do not climb equipment, enter animal pens, put hands into pens or feed animals. Children under 12 need an adult at all times. Dogs must remain leashed and controlled, and their waste must be removed from the property. Drones require prior ownership approval. Smoking, vaping and alcohol are prohibited under the photography agreement.

Advertising, media, documentary and other non-personal photography or video uses require separate written permission. Use of the farm’s name or logo also requires written consent. Do not photograph other clients or staff without their approval. The agreement assigns responsibility for the accompanying party and includes risk/liability terms; read it before returning it. Unsafe or prohibited conduct can end a session without a refund.