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Cut Your Own at These Dutchess County Christmas Tree Farms

Date Published: November 11, 2019

Cut-your-own trees are plentiful here! As Christmas approaches, families and friends gather to make the season merry – continuing some traditions that go back generations and starting new ones. We bake cookies, write cards, and put up lights! Dutchess tree farmers continue their tradition of providing the chance to choose and cut your perfect Christmas tree, the centerpiece of a home during the holidays.

Make sure you get the right one – it's easy with help from the farmer. They'll help you decide what type to select. There are many species of evergreens, some noted for their scent, others the softness or strength of their needles, and many for how long they typically last. If you pick your favorite size and shape, the tree creates the perfect Christmas atmosphere in your home. What better way to make sure your family has the perfect tree than to choose it yourself?

Tree farms in Dutchess County enable you to do just that. Choose from a variety of trees:

  • Douglas Fir: lighter green, soft needles and strong fragrance; a long lasting, dense formal tree. Branches may be less strong than other varieties.
  • Balsam Fir: this traditional tree has a very fragrant scent. Dark green, soft needles are on medium branches that bend easily.
  • Blue (Colorado) Spruce: distinctive blue foliage and symmetrical form you won't have to trim. If you stand it inside for two days before decorating, the long sharp, needles soften. Very fragrant
  • Canaan Fir: very similar to Balsam Fir.  
  • Concolor Fir: longer, soft blue-green needles. Very long lasting with citrus aroma.
  • Fraser Fir: strong branches retain short, soft, dark green needles well. Enjoy the traditional scent, just a bit less heady than Balsam's!
  • White Spruce: short green to blue-green needles. Dense, with fair to good needle retention and a pungent aroma.

Once you’ve decided which one suits your household, head out to the fields to pick your perfect tree. Tree farms open Thanksgiving weekend.

Dutchess County Tree Farms

Note: Please be sure to call ahead for business hours. Some tree farms have already started to close for the season.

Abel's Trees (Verbank): Balsam and Douglas Firs, and Norway, Blue and White Spruce trees are grown here. See 25-acres of trees of all sizes, and hundreds that are over 10 feet tall! Wagon rides, wreaths, tree stands, free hot chocolate; hot food and fresh baked goods available for purchase. Free baling cutting and loafing trees. Open Black Friday, and Saturdays and Sundays between Thanksgiving and Christmas, 9am – 4:30pm.

Battenfeld Christmas Tree Farm (Red Hook): A family-owned 100-acre farm, this tree farm offers six tree species – Douglas Fir, White Pine, Spruce, Balsam Fir, Concolor Fir, and Frazier Fir each with its own unique characteristics and appeal. Visit the gift shop, take a horse-drawn wagon ride, visit with Santa, and hear bagpipers (December 7th). Custom wreaths to 6’ in diameter, garland, kissing balls. Season opens November 29th and they stay open daily, 8am-4pm thru mid December.

Big Rock Farms (Stanfordville): Cut-your-own: Balsam Fir, White Pine and Norway Spruce, up to 7 ft. tall. Local, fresh cut, Fraser and Balsam Firs 8 - 9 ft. tall. Special order trees up to 18 ft. (local delivery; will set tree up). Wreathes (decorate your own) and roping, hand-made barn wreathes up to 8 ft. in diameter (they'll put them up and take them down). Refreshments. Call for special orders and prices. Christmas tree season begins the day after Thanksgiving and runs until Christmas. Open Friday, Saturday, Sunday 9:00am – 4:30pm.

Bilmar (Pleasant Valley): Select your perfect Christmas tree at Bilmar! They have been growing quality Christmas trees since 1959 with a 200-acre farm that offers a wonderful cut-your-own experience. An amazing selection of quality Christmas trees with varieties including Fraser Fir, Balsam Fir, Concolor Fir, Grand Fir, Blue Spruce and White Pine. Open November 29 – December 22, 2019. Monday–Thursday, 11:00am–3:00pm. Friday–Sunday, 9:00 am–4:00pm. Friday and Saturday open until 9:00 pm for pre-cut trees.

BJ’s Christmas Tree Farm (Pleasant Valley): Offering a large selection of trees, wreaths, and decorations to help you and your family make your holidays complete. Varieties include: Douglas Fir, White Pine, and Pre-cut Fraser Fir. As always, complimentary hot cocoa and cider. Free mechanical tree shaking, baling, tying tree to car, tree drilling for stand straight stands. Opens the day after Thanksgiving and then on Saturday and Sundays until Christmas 9am-4pm.

Daisey Hill Farm (Millerton): Open for the Christmas season with a variety of trees to choose from! Open daily from 9am-5pm.

Donald Wachenheimer Farm (Verbank): Come cut-your-own at this family-friendly farm! Trees available to cut Monday - Friday, 1-4pm. Open day after Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve. 

Evergreen Farm (Millbrook): Offering a variety of tree species– Douglas Fir, Frazier Fir and Spruce. Choose the type and size of tree that suits your tastes. Don't want to cut your own tree? No Problem. They offer full services. Simply pick out your tree and they’ll cut it and carry it for you. Bailing and handsaws for those who wish to cut their own are available for free. Opens Friday, November 29th. Then Satrudays and Sundays, November 30th through December 15th from 9:30am-4:30pm

Fabulous Firs Christmas Tree Farm at VanScott Farms (Poughkeepsie): Award-winning Fraser Fir, Concolor, and Canaan Firs, White, Colorado, Norway and Serbian Spruces are grown here. Saws, tree baling, their own wreaths. See vintage 1943 New Haven Railroad Caboose that once traveled thru the farm to what's now is the Walkway Over the Hudson. Hayrides on weekends. Cash only; Weekends 9am-4:30pm. Weekdays 12 - 4:30pm. Winner of 4 Blue Ribbons at the 2014 Dutchess County Fair. 

Hahn Farm (Salt Point): With a selection of Douglas, Fraser, Canaan and Concolor Firs, White Pine, and Blue Spruce trees – cut your own or browse their pre-cut trees. Hayrides to the trees offered on weekends! Opening the day after Thanksgiving - Monday - Thursday: 12:00- 4:30 pm, Friday: 12:00-6:00pm (trees end 4:30), and Saturday and Sunday: 9:30am- 4:30pm.

Murphy Crest Tree Farm (Amenia): Douglas Fir, Concolor Fir, Canaan Fir, Norway Spruce, Wreaths, Tree stands. The friendly staff offers help cutting and tying, free baling, mechanical tree shaking, free refresh for drilling stand, straight tree stands, carts and hand saws available. Open Saturdays and Sundays November 29th through Christmas from 9:30am-dark.

Plains View Farm (Pleasant Valley): Trees include Fraser Firs (nothing over 7 feet), Norway Spruce (many sizes, including 12 feet and higher) and Blue Spruce. Also offering a variety of holiday wreaths. They open the day after Thanksgiving, Saturdays and Sundays from 9am-4pm. Hayrides available and enjoy complimentary homemade cookies, hot chocolate and cider! Dog-friendly  as long as they are on a leash and you pick up after them.

Primrose Hill Farm (Staatsburg): Cut your own trees from White Spruce, Norway Spruce, Douglas Fir and Concolor Fir. Carriage House Shop will be open with a variety of holiday goods and gifts including handcrafts, ornaments, tree stands and accessories, wreaths, hot drinks, cookies, brownies and more. Open daily the Friday after Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve, 9am-4pm.

Rawls Christmas Tree Farm (Pleasant Valley): With a selection of primarily Fraser Firs with a large selection of Canaan Fir as well. Season beginning the day after Thanksgiving, through December, from 9am-4pm.

Saltsman Christmas Tree Farm (Rhinebeck): Small, family-owned farm where you can choose and cut Blue Spruce, White Spruce, Frasier Firs and Balsam Firs, or choose from freshly pre-cut Balsam and Fraser Firs. Come for a tree and stay for the complimentary roasted marshmallows, mulled cider and donuts around the open barnyard fire on weekends. Open the day after Thanksgiving, Friday through Sunday 9am-4:30pm, and Monday through Thursday 1-5pm.

Solvang Farm (Poughkeepsie): The Christmas spirit will be in full swing on the traditional opening day of November 29th with a large selection of cut your own and fresh cut trees. Solvang also offers beautiful wreaths, white pine roping, table arrangements, kissing balls, swags and more for your holiday decorating - all made fresh on the farm by hand. Open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9am-4:30pm.

Wonderland Farm (Rhinebeck): Their trees have been featured in Pottery Barn, Country Living and other national media outlets. The crop is plentiful this season! Beautifully sculpted evergreens in a variety of shapes and sizes, 4 to 15+ feet are available in Balsam, Frasier, and Canaan Firs, as well as Blue Spruce! Enjoy free hot cocoa, wrapping and rope, and even borrow a saw. Kick off your Christmas season early, as Wonderland opens the weekend before Thanksgiving – Fridays 10am-4pm, Saturdays and Sundays 9am-dusk.

*To the best of our knowledge, this information is correct as of publish date 11/12*

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