Looking for a Christmas tree in SC? Here are 4 of the best Midlands farms where you can cut or pick
Bryan Price has been selling Christmas trees in Lexington for 39 years, spraying to combat fungus and bugs in the too-early morning hours and trimming trees in the brutally hot days of July.
He’s won at the South Carolina State Fair six of the last seven years, which means he gets to supply the Governor’s Mansion with trees — two on the porch, one at the entrance and one on the gate.
“I’m going to keep doing it until the Lord tells me I can’t do it no more,” he said Tuesday.
So far this season, business has been gangbusters, he said. He’s already sold out of his field trees — Leyland Cypress, red cedar and Carolina cypress — the ones grown on his 6 acres east of downtown Lexington.
He said he grows them everywhere there’s not a road, parking lot or his house. Right up to the back door, he said.
Speaking of his house, he doesn’t have his tree up yet. He’s picked out a Fraser fir and each day asks his wife, “Want to put the tree up?”
“Not tonight,” comes the response.
He vows to have a tree up by Dec. 1.
Tree farming is tough business. Trimming trees twice a year, that spraying routine, weather and drought, but he has a commercial well and irrigation so that’s not a bother to him.
Price said he begins the trees in 3-gallon pots and then plants them a year later, trimming from the start. He believes that’s what makes his trees so pretty.
He said he has plenty of Fraser firs, which he gets from North Carolina. It’s his second delivery and he hopes he has enough to last another couple of weeks.
Price said the cost of trees has stabilized after years of increases.
“Up, up, up, up,” he said of precious years. His Fraser firs range from $80 for a 7-foot-tree to $250 for 11 feet.
The field trees were $60 to $125. Moral of that story is go early, especially next year when Price’s Tree Farm celebrates its 40th anniversary.
Price’s Tree Farm is located at 228 Maple Road, Lexington, SC 29073.
Directions: Off Highway 1 between 1-26 and 1-20 around Oak Grove Area near Barnyard Flea market. Take Maple Road Farm approximately 1 mile on the right.
Other Midlands tree farms
Bear Creek Tree Farm
Bear Creek Tree Farm has been selling Christmas trees grown on their Chapin property since 1980. They also sell a variety of container trees, fresh cut Fraser firs from North Carolina, poinsettia and Christmas cactus in baskets and pots.
Wreaths are made with mixed greenery, pine cones and magnolia. Garland and greenery products are also available.
Bear Creek is located at 564 Amicks Ferry Road, Chapin, SC 29036.
Directions: Take Amick Ferry Road from Chapin. Go 2 miles. Farm located on right side of highway.
Hollow Creek Tree Farm
Over at Hollow Creek Tree Farm in Gilbert, Mike McCartha carries on a family legacy started by his father on land they’re owned for generations.
His father J.W. McCartha planted the first Christmas trees in 1976 and began selling pre-cut cedars and white pines in 1978 and cut your own in 1980.
On their website they have a section called ‘why we’re so dang happy.’
“Growing Christmas trees is a labor of love,” they wrote. “We are lucky to be working the seasons outdoors, with our hands, and seeing it all culminate with happy people picking out their family Christmas tree.”
228 Windmill Rd, Gilbert, SC 29054. Phone: 803-892-3662. Email: RealTreesMakeScents@gmail.com.
Directions: Go 9 miles west of Lexington on US 378. Turn left at light onto Priceville Road (BP on right). Go 1.5 miles, turn right onto Windmill Road. Other varieties of Christmas trees include Murray Cypress, Blue Ice Cypress, and Thuja Green Giant.
Brown Christmas Tree Farm
Browns Christmas Tree Farm in Lexington has been in business 20-plus years. Patrick Brown said he’s got about 1,000 trees growing on his 6 acres, including Virginia Pine, white pine, and cedar.
They’ve also go a pretty cool Lego display, including a dinosaur looking up at a larger still Christmas tree.
Brown and his wife are retired and have turned the business over to son Bryan Stone.
But Brown is still helping out.
“It’s fun,” he said. “You meet a lot of nice people.”
They are open on weekends only and stopped selling cut trees some years ago.
432 Pat Road, Lexington.
