These 4 farms have trees and activities.
Starting in July, I tend to hunt for the smell of Christmas in candle aisles. But alas, no candle can ever capture the comforting scent of a fresh-cut Christmas tree adorned with ornaments and joy. So, as the Christmas season approaches, here are four Christmas tree farms packed with evergreens and activities that could fill my—and your—home with the scent of pine and peace and winter days with smiles and fun.
STARR PINES CHRISTMAS TREE FARM
Stars shine bright until Christmas night at the Starr Pines Christmas Tree Farm in Boonville. The organic Christmas tree farm, open from Thanksgiving to Christmas, began three days after owners Ann and Wayne Harmon got married in 1986. The couple started by planting Scotch pines on 40 acres of land. As the trees began to grow, so did their family. They soon had a daughter, Amanda Starr Harmon—the inspiration for the business’s name.
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It wasn’t until Thanksgiving Day 1990, three days after the birth of their second daughter, Dixie Starr Harmon, that the business opened to the public. “When Amanda was born in 1987, Starr was fitting, and when we named the farm Starr Pines in 1988, it was fitting. When Dixie was born in 1990, what else would fit but Starr?” Ann says. “All our pets’ middle names have been Starr also.”
In the 38 years since opening, the farm has expanded to 200 acres that produce Scotch pine, white pine, loblolly pitch pine, and Canaan firs. Ann says not to forget your gloves, because it is a cut-your-own style tree farm.
The farm has a Gift and Antique Shop, which offers wreaths made from fresh-cut Scotch pines, on-the-farm harvested honey, fresh farm eggs, antiques, candy made by the Amish community in Carrollton, Christmas ornaments, and complimentary spiced cider. Besides that, visitors can meet the chickens that are on-site. On special occasions, the farm hosts Santa, Santa’s elves, and a kettle corn vendor.
“I was born three days before Christmas. So it’s always been a big celebration time for me with that too,” Ann says. “Christmas is great. Christmas is tradition. Christmas is families getting together, and we’re glad to provide them a place to come and get a Christmas tree together.”
HOURS: 9 AM–dark, November 28–December 25
LOCATION: 21298 Pleasant Hill Road, Boonville
MEIER HORSE SHOE PINES
It started with a sinkhole. Steve and Teresa Meier owned a 29-acre farm with cattle and horses, but part of their land had a sinkhole. It was dangerous to have animals near the area, so they had to find another way to fill the space. In 1983, they decided to plant 100 Christmas trees there—only one survived.
But this didn’t dissuade them. The couple “went back to the drawing board,” as Teresa says, and learned how to grow Christmas trees. In 1988, they opened Meier Horse Shoe Pines, a Christmas tree farm in Jackson. “People ask, ‘Well, how hard is raising Christmas trees?’ And I say, ‘Well, compare it to raising children; there’s always something to watch or take care of.’ ”
The Meier farm offers choose-and-cut white pine, Norway spruce, Scotch pine, cedar, and loblolly pitch pine or precut Fraser firs. It’s not all about the trees at this farm though. Sip on complimentary spiced apple cider while visiting the farm’s Market at the Pines, a vendors market that sells gift baskets, treats, meats, and cheeses; the 2 Sides Grillin’ BBQ truck, which serves pulled pork barbecue nachos, baked potatoes, and hot dogs on the weekends; the Christmas Shop, which sells Christmas ornaments, decorations, customizable wreaths, garlands, and table centerpieces made of fresh-cut tree branches; wagon rides, which are either tractor- or horse-drawn; or the Elf Experience, an activity in which children get a toy that has been handmade by hidden elves.
“It’s always fun to see how excited people are when they come. Like somebody said, ‘You’re in business at the perfect time of the year—everybody’s in a good mood,’” Teresa says.
HOURS: 9:30 AM–4 PM November 29 and Saturdays, 11 AM–4 PM Sundays, November 29 until sold out
LOCATION: 2146 County Road 330, Jackson
JOHNSON FAMILY FARMS
The owners of Johnson Family Farms in Webb City, Andy and Jennafer Johnson, were from Joplin and had no agricultural background when they moved to a rural area in Webb City and started their Christmas tree farm in 2005.
“We both enjoyed going and getting Christmas trees, and there’s not very many farms in our area,” Andy says. “So we did some research, and we gave it a try.”
The first year, they started by planting trees, and while they waited for them to grow, they sold about 20 precut trees. Each year since then, they have expanded their business; last year, they sold about 250 of their own trees and 300 precut trees. This year, Johnson Family Farms is selling cut-your-own Virginia pine and Scotch pine and many types of precut fir trees.
• Johnson Family Farms
The farm has a lot of activities for the little ones with its barrel ride, hay ride, and coloring contests, along with opportunities to write a letter to Santa and occasional visits from Mr. and Mrs. Claus. The farm also offers schools a chance to bring students to the farm for a field trip if reservations are made in advance. But adults won’t miss out on the fun; the farm has hay rides and a gift shop that provides complimentary hot chocolate and hot cider and a vast selection of craft and consignment vendors.
“We know you can get a Christmas tree from a big box store, but it’s not just a Christmas tree that we’re offering at the Christmas tree farm,” Andy says. “It’s building memories year after year.”
HOURS: 3 PM–5 PM Fridays, 10 AM–5 PM Saturdays, 1 PM–5 PM Sundays, November 29 until sold out
LOCATION: 9615 County Lane 251, Webb City
PEA RIDGE FOREST
Pea Ridge Forest is a family heirloom for its owners, Scott and Mike Rood. The business, a Christmas tree farm in Hermann, was founded by the brothers’ parents, Mary and LeRoy Rood, in 1972 as a wholesale and cut-your-own Scotch pine tree farm.
During the brothers’ childhood and early adulthood, they vowed they would never take over the farm after experiencing the hard work that it took to run the business. Scott remembers getting out of school and going straight to work on the farm. He also remembers turning on floodlights and working well into the night while in high school.
Despite the vow, the brothers now value the farm and what it has taught them. “It afforded us an opportunity we didn’t realize at the time, the idea of having to make do with what you have,” Scott says. “It helped us learn that the job needs to be done no matter what. It has allowed us to really understand how to run a business.”
Since opening, the farm has become a cut-your-own tree farm, which offers Scotch pine, white pine, Norway spruce, Virginia pine, and loblolly pitch pine and precut Fraser firs. The farm is a total of 500 acres, with 100 acres of trees. Pea Ridge Forest farm hosts food trucks and vendors who offer kettle corn, funnel cakes, wine, and sausage. The farm also has a hayride, kiddie ride, corn pit for children to play in, and gift shop. Occasionally, Santa pays a visit, too. The gift shop is filled with Christmas items, including snow globes, ornaments, pillows, fresh wreaths, and greenery. “It’s a family tradition for a lot of these people, and we recognize that and appreciate that,” Scott says.
HOURS: 9 AM–5 pm, November 21–December 24
LOCATION: 22735 Tree Farm Road, Hermann
Kinds of tree farms
Cut-your-own: Customers cut their own tree and typically transport it back to the main area of the farm.
Choose-and-cut: Customers choose the tree and farm staff cuts, wraps, and transports the tree to the customer’s car.
Precut: Already cut trees, typically imported from out of state.
This article was orginally printed in the November/December 2024 issue of Missouri Life.
