Nothing cuts it like a live tree

BURGHILL -- While riding a hay wagon through the sprawling, evergreen forests of Storeyland Christmas Tree Farm, one half expects Santa himself to appear.
The jolly, bearded one would certainly be at home here on this beautiful 167-acre spread that is crowded with every size and shape of Christmas tree imaginable.
The rolling hills of pine, fir and spruce stretch on as far as the eye can see.
There are white pines, Scotch pines, white spruce, blue spruce, Norway spruce, Fraser fir, concolor fir and Canaan fir, just to name a few. Tall, skinny; big, fat; or tiny, tabletop -- all are available.
And after you've searched and wandered and made your selection, you can bring your prize back to the barn, warm your hands by a blazing bonfire and sip a free cup of hot cocoa or coffee.
That's just part of the charm of Storeyland, 5148 state Route 7.
Objective
"We try to give customers a lot of little extras, and for many families, it's a tradition to come here each year and find the perfect tree. People like to ride out to the fields on a wagon and be out in nature and cut down their own tree. Then they come back and have a cup of hot chocolate, and all the kids get a sucker," said Debbie Yeager, who owns and operates Storeyland with her husband, Carl.
The Yeagers bought Storeyland in 1990 from Ted and Dorothy Storey, who founded the farm in 1954.
"My husband had worked on this farm since age 12, and when it went up for sale, we just decided to buy it," Debbie explained.
There are now more than 100,000 trees growing on the farm, and although Carl still works full time at WCI Steel, Debbie has made the tree farm her full-time job.
"Although we're open year-round, now is our busiest season," Debbie said. "It's always a challenge to get through this time of year. In addition to our employees, lots of family members lend a hand."
To make it through the holiday rush, Carl and Dorothy enlist the help of their children, grandchildren and other relatives, in addition to regular employees.
The pre-holiday atmosphere at the farm is certainly a bustling, family-oriented one.
On a typical December weekend, droves of Yeager grandchildren of all ages complete various tasks while customers come and go and numerous dogs frisk about.
Although winter is crunch time, Debbie said summertime at the tree farm is no cinch either.
"There's always a lot of work to be done. We have to mow every day in the summer and we are always planting new trees and trimming and pruning existing trees. We also have to dig trees at certain times of the year," she said.
Options
Storeyland sells both cut and balled Christmas trees.
Customers can cut their own tree or buy a tree that's already been cut.
If you buy an already cut tree, Debbie recommends making a fresh cut at the bottom of the tree's trunk before you place it in the tree stand and decorate it.
"The old cut will start to seal itself off and won't absorb as much water as a fresh cut," Debbie explained.
If a customer chooses a balled tree with the intention of planting it outdoors after the holiday, they shouldn't keep the tree indoors for more than a week.
"Otherwise the tree will think it's springtime and will start to grow and will probably die when you put it outdoors," Debbie said.
"If you do keep a balled tree indoors, don't put it next to a heat source and give it plenty of water. When the holiday is over, let it sit outside for a few days before you plant it and have the hole dug and waiting."
Cut trees can fare well indoors for as long as a month if they're watered frequently.
Debbie said the people who choose a real tree over an artificial one do so for a handful of reasons.
"They like to choose a different tree each year. They also like the fragrance and that it is an object of nature," she said.
Prices
Storeyland charges $4.50 per foot for all pines, $5.50 per foot for spruce and $6.50 per foot for firs.
All cut trees are put through a tree shaker to remove loose needles and then baled for easier handling and transport. These services are free.
In addition to trees, Storeyland sells wreaths, tree stands and pine roping.
The farm is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily from the day after Thanksgiving until Dec. 23.
The rest of the year, the farm is open by appointment.
For more information, call (330) 772-8733 or visit www.storeyland.com.