Growing Traditions
- Jodi Brunner
- 4 hours ago
- 5 min read
Article & Photos by Jessica McCafferty
With the holidays approaching many of us are starting to make plans — for most of us that includes decorating. Whether it be the full blown Whoville experience or something more subdued, studies show the national average for households that celebrate Christmas is 83-90 percent. Since the early 19th century, the tree has been the main player on the Christmas stage.
The first Christmas tree farm was established in 1901 by W.V. McGalliard in Mercer County, New Jersey. He saw a market selling trees to city dwellers. Tree farms, however, didn’t really take off until after the end of World War II. By the 1950’s fewer people wanted to trek into the woods to cut down a free holiday tree and convenience won out. “Cut your own” tree farms where you parked next to the field, with rows to choose from were growing in popularity. These excursions became a new family tradition that continues today.
You will find two tree farms on neighboring lots, north of Plattsburgh on State Route 22 in West Chazy. Hill Top Farm and The Haley Farm are tree farms and more. Between the two properties there are over 220 acres of land, but only about 19 acres combined is dedicated to holiday trees.
Hill Top Farm
Jim Gonyo and Judy Paquette own and operate Hill Top Farm. The farm started with a large sugar bush of about 1,250 trees they tap in the spring, sell the syrup locally and ship all over the world. In 1986, after a conversation over a weekly card game, Gonyo and former neighbor Daniel Hobbs began planting evergreens on their pasture lands. Their intention was to eventually sell Christmas trees. As the years went on Gonyo continued to tend his trees and add to the farm’s numbers until he had approximately four acres planted, which he maintains to this day. As the business grew, he added a barn which now houses a warming room in which you will find Paquette playing host, serving cocoa and her homemade Christmas cookies, while Gonyo is out in the field directing customers.
The Haley Farm
Ten years ago, Bill and Kerry Haley purchased the former Hobbs property. “We were looking for property that had acreage to roam and a reason for my husband to have a tractor,” quipped Kerry. “We came upon this special place that had an established tree farm,” she shared.
The Haley’s reopened the 15-acre tree farm under a new name and now have not only ‘Cut Your Own’ and ‘Precut’ tree sales, but wreath making workshops led by Kerry and son, during the season. Classes take place in the gift shop and barn which are always bustling with friends and family helping the Haley’s with the holiday rush. Visitors will also find a Lego Christmas village complete with a working train that Bill and son, Luke, built. During the off season the Haleys offer fresh raspberries in spring and are currently experimenting with pumpkins for the fall.
Although both farms are similar in retail operation size, visitors will find unique experiences. Hill Top is a walk in the field experience while Haley’s trees are a bit further out and visitors follow a dirt road into the fields. Hill Top’s owners have the farm as a retirement business and the atmosphere is almost that of visiting a grandparent. The Haley Farm is operated by a young working family with high school and college age children. Their atmosphere, while not as classic, still has wonderful welcoming energy.
A Year-Round Experience
Even though tree sales take place over a seven-to-eight-week period in November-December, the crop requires year-round care. Spring is the time for cleaning up where trees were harvested and planting seedlings. Summers are spent maintaining the lots, making sure they are getting enough hydration and not going wild. If the grass gets too high around the trees it reduces air flow which can restrict growth, and it also attracts wildlife. Mowing is a must and they make special mowers to fit down the narrow paths. When fall comes around the trees get a trim. Each one shaped and ready for the upcoming season.
Ever wonder what happens to the ugly trees — the ones that don’t fill out or that grow lopsided. Both farms have purposes for them. Those are the ones they harvest for the boughs for wreaths, swags and kissing balls. The Haley Farm offers “Make Your Own” wreath workshops where participants can choose from various frame designs and a wide range of decorations and ribbons for bows. “The wreaths are made using forms and a super handy clamp tool,” Haley explained while demonstrating the foot pedal mechanism “It clamps around the pine so it doesn’t need to be hand wired, it’s very helpful, especially for people who feel they can’t do it.”
Knowing Your Tree
In the days of my youth, I remember we always had a blue spruce tree. It had sturdy branches for all the homemade ornaments, but was also brutal and messy! The needles were stiff and sharp and would inevitably start to fall off after the first week randomly sticking through your sock and into a foot. Today’s popular trees are the firs, with softer needles, a nice pine smell and better needle retention. The majority of the trees grown on the two West Chazy tree farms are Balsam and Fraser firs.
Trees grow on average about a foot a year with weather and water playing a large part. A dry season can stunt a tree’s progress, whereas too much precipitation might cause underbrush overgrowth and moisture problems. Both farms sell their trees by the foot. Hill Top Farm starts their trees at a seven-foot base height so every tree they sell is at least seven years old. Gonyo estimated that they sell about 400 trees in a season. The Haleys, who are open on weekends, find their wreath making classes bring in more people than their trees.
Families often build relationships around their traditions, visiting with the owners while they warm up after their tree picking trek. Those are the people that welcome you back each year and greet you with hot cocoa and homemade Christmas cookies. They notice how big the kids have gotten and are excited to see the next generation continuing the tradition.
Hill Top Farm
7256 State Route 22
West Chazy, NY 12992
(518) 534-4351
The Haley Farm
7286 State Route 22
West Chazy, NY12992
(518) 566-6645