Local Christmas tree farm sales up this year

Photo submitted by Country Mouse Farm People enjoying cutting down a Christmas tree at the Country Mouse Farm in 2019.

By Justin Seward

Commentator/Courier

Country Mouse Farm in Cypress County began planting Christmas and landscaping trees in 2008 and by 2017 people were coming in for the U-Cut Christmas Tree Experience.
The U-Cut Experience happens for the first two weeks of December and just wrapped up for another year of the joyous tree cutting experience.
“That includes your hot chocolate, ginger snap cookie and a wagon ride on a hay rack out to the tree field from the building you first enter into and then you get to choose and cut your own tree. You go back to the tree shack and get your picture taken. Then we provide you with a commemorative Christmas card with a thank you note in it and your picture,” said Gerald Bodnaruk, Co-owner along with wife Erika.
Tree sales are already done for 2019 because most people came out for the experience.
“We had a good year this year,” he said.
“We were up 50 per cent in sales over last year. For us that is significant. We’re not a large farm, so we can expand our sales every year and we’re quite satisfied.”
There were 100 trees sold this year.
“It takes time to get the word out about the experience. People may have heard about us but until they talk to somebody and see some comments maybe online then they don’t know what the experience is like.”
He says what’s gratifying for them is seeing families and groups that come out who normally don’t get to experience farms as a part of their regular lives.
“You get to come out and you see a lot of trees but you also get to choose your own tree and everybody has their own idea what they want in a tree,” he said.
“They’re not all the same and to see the families happy that they can spend the time together and get something that they can share that in their house for a month or six weeks.”
If someone were could not make it to the Tree Experience then they can book by appointment by calling (403) 529-5684 to come and cut down a tree.
Country Mouse Farms is located 11415 Range Road 61 in the county.

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