Friday night I sat at the computer with about 16 tabs open. Searching for a new tree farm to visit, I was completely torn. Each farm seemed great! How could I pick just one? In the past we’ve done everything from cut our tree from the National Forest, to visit one of the tree farms just down the road. This year….we wanted to switch it up a bit. Finally I just went to bed- still undecided.
Saturday morning came and as my husband sat with his coffee, he picked Alpine Meadows Tree Farm. Oh my word- what a great choice. This post is completely un-sponsored and they don’t even know I’m about to brag the heck out of their place. Remember how The Pioneer Woman used to give away cowboys boots simply because they made her happy? That’s how I feel about this place. It just makes me smile and I believe that if you love something, you should share it. So let me just say that if you’re looking for a new tree farm to visit, I’d put this one at the top of your list.
When we got out of the car, this cute little sign grabbed my attention. Kids trees! And only $6 if you buy a regular size! We took two, thank you very much. 
The next highlight was this darling little shed, surrounded by these tiny labeled trees. One of the nice employees walked us over here and proceeded to tell us about each variety—which ones smell best, which ones loose their needles quicker and of course, the prices too. It felt like a mini field trip and it was so fascinating to learn about each type of tree!
As we walked through countless rows of trees, fog danced on the hills that surround the farm. I’m a highly visual person and for me, this place was exceptional, because it’s so stunning!
It didn’t take long to find our perfect tree and soon our son was on his knees with the saw.
As we got ready to leave, I noticed the trees reflecting in the pond. Isn’t this place GORG?
Stepping in to pay for our tree and grab some hot cocoa, the simplicity of the barn totally threw me off. The wood stove had thoroughly warmed the entire space and it was pleasantly plain. Benches surrounded the stove in a way that invited you to sit down, but there wasn’t any clutter or copious tables lined with items for sale. Just hot chocolate, coffee and donuts. A minimalist at heart, this was so wonderful. Just a big, rustic, warm room. Isn’t that all we really want after being out in the cold?
For us, it’s not about having a magazine worthy tree—after all, we have 3 little kids and we like to involve them as much as possible. For our family, it’s about the experience and creating memories and traditions that’ll hopefully be passed down for generations. Mostly, it’s about my kids (hopefully) remembering me as a Mom who was genuinely fun at Christmas.
I was blessed to grow up on 11 acres in the woods. As a child, we never paid for a tree! We went out back and sawed one down for our living room and one for the room my sister and I shared. Those memories bless me and while I’m creating different ones with my own family, I think they’re uniquely just as sweet.
So what about you? Have you gotten a tree yet? Where did you go?