Every year, since the boys have been just little, my husband and I have taken them to a local farm to choose our Christmas tree. Quinn Farm is family-run it has been part of our family traditions for years in every season. They have activities going on all year round, and the boys love to pick up baked goods and see the animals when we go.
Each year, we take a ride on the tractor-led wagon over to the Christmas trees and get to choose the one we want for our home. Then, we call on a helper to saw it down for us, tag it and then load it up on the wagon.
If you are wondering why the tree was cut at that height, it is because the tree regrows from the stump. The farm is very cautious of how to cut down their trees and have them regrow. The whole system is amazing, really, and I love seeing them regrow each year. We noticed that the plantation we came to a few years ago was now gone. The farmer explained that after many years, the trees begin to warp as they grow so they clear some areas for new produce (such as pumpkins) in order for the trees to grow strong again in a different area. Currently the farm has some 10,000 trees in different varieties and sizes.
After that, we head back to the barn for yummy apple cider or hot cocoa (included in our tree picking) and we always leave with a ton of baked goods and fresh produce. This year, I also picked up my meats to bake my Christmas Eve tourtières (traditional Quebec meat pies).
Yummy treats and gift ideas inside the barn
This is by far the earliest we picked a tree for the home. But I think we were ready to start celebrating early. November is always gloomy in Montreal, so as soon as December hits, we are ready to cheer up the home, even if outside it’s dark and rainy. Luckily, we had a rain-free day when we went to Quinn farm this time.
This year’s tree is a Balsam Fir
Hopefully, this is the closest we will ever look like the Griswold family!
The day we picked our tree, I used one package of beef to make a delicious spaghetti and meat sauce for dinner while the boys helped Papa MOE set the tree up.
Don’t let his face fool you, they’re having a great time!
The first week we have the tree up, we leave it to open and only place the lights on. It’s a beautiful start to the season and the tree looks simple and pretty. This weekend, we plan to decorate the tree with our ornaments. It helps spread the month of decorating and preparing for the 25th nicely.
Do you have a real tree in your home? Do you choose your tree like us? I’d love to read your traditions in the comments below.
1 comment
Growing up in the country, it was always such a joyous event to go out into the forest and choose our family christmas tree. We would take turns picking the tree with me and my brothers