Old Time Christmas Tree Farm

Choose and cut your own pine or cypress

Every cut-your-own tree starts with a tree tag. Take a saw and a measuring stick, ride the wagon out to the field and walk the rows. Attach the tag to a bottom branch of the tree you want, leaving parts A and B attached and keeping part C with your number, then cut close to the ground, gently tilting the tree away from you, and do not cut off any bottom limbs. Catch a wagon back to the front.

Back at the front, measure and mark your tree at the first station and pay at the cashier with cash or card. At the third station, claim your tree with your receipt. The farm shakes and bales your tree at no extra cost and is happy to help with loading, though you are responsible for securing it to your vehicle; twine is provided and there is a designated loading zone near the front. Leaving, your receipt is checked at the exit.

Cut-your-own prices by height

Cut-your-own pine and cypress are priced by height, with one price for either, before tax. The minimum height to cut is 5 feet, and trees under 5 feet are priced at $85. The minimum height can change later in the season depending on availability. Prices and availability can change at any time during the season. For trees 12.5 feet and taller, see the cashier.

The tallest field tree is typically around 12 to 13 feet, though that varies from year to year.

Pre-cut Fraser fir, wreaths, garland and tree stands

Pre-cut Fraser fir is shipped in from North Carolina and displayed in water for freshness, typically in 6 to 10 foot trees, with the height of each tree set by the supplier. Browse the selection, choose your tree and let the tree handlers take care of the rest.

The farm also sells wreaths, garland and table-top trees shipped in from North Carolina, plus tree stands and tree care accessories, all before tax. The farm does not install tree stands on site and does not drill trees. Make a fresh half-inch cut before putting your tree in water, check the water two or three times a day, and expect a fresh tree to drink up to a gallon or more a day at first. The farm sprays for pest control during the growing season, and before the selling season the trees get a natural colorant called SuperGreenzit that brings back their deep green; the farm says it is safe for people and pets.

Season days and hours

Christmas tree sales begin on Saturday, November 21 and the farm is open through Sunday, December 20. Friday through Sunday the farm is open 9am to 5pm, and Monday through Thursday it is open 1pm to 5pm, except for Wednesday, November 25 and Thanksgiving Day, when it is closed. Thanksgiving Friday, Saturday and Sunday, November 27 to 29, are marked as popular days on the farm's calendar.

To cut your own tree, arrive by 5pm. The farm does not take reservations or advance tagging during public hours, so it is first come, first served; for smaller crowds, plan a weekday visit and arrive early. Dates are subject to change based on availability of trees.

Santa, rides, petting zoo, food and weekend attractions

Santa, food vendors and attractions are available on Saturdays, Sundays and Thanksgiving Friday only. Santa is in from 10am to noon and from 1pm to 5pm. A Santa photo ticket is $9 and covers one customer camera, so bring your own camera and pose in front of the backdrop. Attractions run on tickets sold at the cashier or the ticket booth, with no pre-sale or online sales; tickets do not expire and are good at the attractions only. Ask the farm for this season's ticket prices.

The train is a ride through the Christmas tree fields, and children ride it with an adult. The petting zoo is open to visit; pets are not allowed inside. Ask the farm how many tickets each attraction takes and the age limits for the giant slide and the bounce house. On site, The Sweet Zone sells corn dogs, nachos, fried Oreos and funnel cakes, and Tikiz sells shaved ice and hot chocolate; handmade crafts are for sale on the same days. Ask the farm for food prices. No outside food or drink is allowed in, with exceptions for dietary needs.

Nighttime group outings and photographers

Private nighttime outings are arranged ahead for Tuesday through Saturday evenings in November and December, with a covered pavilion, a lighted playground, campfires with roasting sticks, a serving table and a hayride. Nighttime outings are geared toward middle schoolers, high schoolers and adults. The price is $12 per person for ages 2 and up, with a minimum of 75 and a maximum of 350 guests; groups of 74 or fewer pay a $900 minimum charge. A reservation is required and a credit card is kept on file with no deposit; canceling within two weeks charges the minimum, and a $250 cleaning or damage fee is possible. The farm does not provide food. Daytime group outings run in October and are fully booked. Groups pay one total at the cashier on the night, by cash, check or card.

Professional and amateur photographers bringing clients to the farm need an appointment and pay $75 per family brought into the farm, by cash or card on the day. Props must be small enough to carry, and no props are allowed without an appointment. A family taking its own photos with its own camera pays nothing extra; the farm asks that you support the small business by making a purchase.

Getting there, pets and practical details

The farm sits on the northwest corner of Spring Cypress Road and Stuebner Airline Road and has two entrances, one on each road. Look for the big yellow billboard sign and turn on Kleb Road; travel about a quarter mile to the parking lot. Entry and parking are free during the Christmas season.

Leashed pets are always welcome, and complimentary doggie bags are at the entrance; pets can ride the train and the hayride but are not allowed in the petting zoo or the inflatables. The farm takes credit cards, cash, Apple Pay and Google Pay, and does not take checks for tree sales. All sales are final, and the farm cannot issue refunds. Smoking, alcohol, power saws, confetti and streamers are not allowed, and children need to stay with an adult. Closed-toe shoes are advised, since the field has uneven ground, ants and sharp saw blades. The farm does not offer flocking, potted trees or birthday parties, and it does not offer delivery, though some employees deliver after hours for a quote at the cashier.

The farm, the family and contacts

The farm has been family owned for decades, and the land has been in the family for over 100 years. Damian and Leia Prause are the owners, and their children Michael and Erin help run the farm.

Call the farm at (281) 370-9141 with general questions, or email admin@oldtimechristmastree.com.

• Old Time Christmas Tree Farm website ↗
• Request a nighttime group outing ↗
• Photographer appointments and rules ↗