We actually bought a big pre-lit tree on sale a few years ago, and hadn't been to Wisewell's in a while, but the last few years I've been saying we need to go out and get a live wreath if not a tree. So my parents came to West Frankfort for a visit, and have never been to a Christmas tree farm, and we were decorating our tree that day anyway, so what a perfect excise for a visit!
We started out in the "Trim A Tree Shop." In years past you bought your wreaths and trimmings here. Unfortunately they aren't selling wreaths this year, so we just looked around the shop a little bit. It seemed a little more sparse than in years past as well, but it is still early in the season, they'd only been open one day when we went there. The trimmings they have, though, are beautiful. All glass ornaments drawers full of pretty things.
So since Grandma and PaPa hadn't been to a farm before, we thought it would be a nice idea to take the tractor into the field. I actually wasn't sure we'd be allowed, since we weren't planning on purchasing a tree, but our son asked the tractor driver and he told him to climb on up, so we did. To me,t his is the best part. Wisewell's has several fields they grow scotch pine, white pine, and frasier trees in, which they rotate year to year, so the same fields are not over harvested and everything has a change to get nice and big.
If you don't want to traipse around in the field (but, really, who doesn't?) they also have a really nice selection of pre-cut trees in between the two barns. If you like flocking (the white snow stuff) on your trees, you can get your's flocked or go into the big blue barn and pick one out which has already been treated.
So after we picked our tree you hitch a ride back to the barn and get your tree 'shook' on a neat little contraption that reminds me of those weight loss shaking machines from the 50's. They take your tree in and mark the price, and you go back into the Trim A Tree shop and pay. They must have taken pity on our little tree, because the price is $8.00 per foot, and we got our tree for $15.00, and I know it's more than two feet tall. It is also $5.00 for the ride into the field, but it's per family, not per person, so our family of 6 rode for five bucks.
Word got around inside the shop that we had a funny little scraggly tree, so the younger girls working in the shop had to come out and laugh with us. They kept saying how much they loved it. And that's why I like coming here, it doesn't matter if you want the fullest most beautiful tree in the field (which we have had) or the littlest one you can find, there's something for everyone. Most people were having the employees help strap their pickings to the roof.....we got a little more creative.
Now, you SHOULD keep your tree in water filled stands, which you can buy at the farm. But, in holding to Charlie Brown tradition, we cut some wood slats, and decorated sparingly.
I LOVE our tree, and we love Wisewell's. :)
Wisewell's Christmas Tree Farm
Snow white flock trees, Scotch Pine, White pine. Fraser.
Sun, Thurs & Fri 12-5
Sat 10-5.
Closed Mon, Tues & Wed.
Fields open Sat & Sun.
14779 Christmas Tree rd,
Herrin, IL
618) 983-5114
How to get there:
Take I-57 tot he Johnston City exit (59) and turn West. Go two miles and you will see w big white sign for the Farm. Turn left onto Christmas Tree road. It's about 1/2 mile down on the right.
