ALGER TREE FARM
Family Owned and Operated Since 1966
7 Beacon Light Road, Califon, New Jersey 07830 | Telephone: (908) 832-2298 | email: algertreefarm@gmail.com
OPEN WEEKENDS 8:30am TO 4:30pm
OPEN STARTING BLACK FRIDAY (NOVEMBER 24, 2023)
Look forward to seeing you this year!
Select & Cut Your Own Christmas Tree,
though our staff is able to help cut down your tree if it accommodates your needs
Although we are only fully staffed on weekends, if you need to come on a weekday please call us to see if we can set up a mutually agreeable appointment time.
Alger Tree Farm is located near the crossroads of Morris, Hunterdon and Somerset Counties in New Jersey. Readily accessible from Route 78, Alger Tree Farm is seven miles north of Exit 24 (Oldwick) off Route 517 on Beacon Light Road.
Trees $110. Payment by cash, personal check, or Venmo.
The Alger Family has been selling Christmas trees at this "Select & Cut Your Own" farm since 1966. Alger Tree Farm is the ideal place to experience a day in the country while choosing and cutting down your own Christmas tree.
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YOUR TREE
A fresh-cut tree not only will bring warmth, beauty and the rich scents of the season to your home but also will last throughout the holidays if given proper care. Please read on to learn more about selecting, cutting and getting your Christmas tree home as well as tips on how to care for your tree after you get home.
SELECTING YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE
There are over 700 beautiful trees from which to choose, ranging from 6 to 9 feet plus! Varieties include Concolor Fir, Douglas Fir, Colorado Blue Spruce, and Norway Spruce.
Below are descriptions of each of these types of trees. Each tree type has its advantages and disadvantages, which we have highlighted. Please note that discussion on needle retention (how long before your tree begins to lose its needles), are basic guidelines, but no guarantee. The actual needle retention can vary (shorter or longer) for each individual tree and based on the weather in the preceding months, the conditions in your individual home (a warmer home will have a shorter needle retention time), and your care for the tree (if you removed the sap layer to allow for water uptake, if the base was always kept wet, and how close to a heat source the tree was placed).
CONCOLOR FIR
Concolor firs (also known as white firs) have a beautiful green to blue color with long needles that are ~2" in length. These trees have a unique citrus scent that appeals to people looking for a less "pungent" Christmas tree smell. They also have hypoallergenic properties, a plus for those with allergies. These trees often have moderate spacing between branches allowing for easy ornament placement. Soft needles also make decorating an ease. This is THE tree for those who like to leave their trees up for a long time. They have excellent needle retention, lasting months! The downside is that the branches are not very strong, so heavy ornaments must be placed closer to the trunk and not at the end of the branches.
DOUGLAS FIR
The Douglas fir has short, soft, medium to dark green needles. This tree has relatively thick foliage making for a nice "full" appearance. These trees have better needle retention than the spruces, lasting usually 6-8 weeks with proper care. They have a pleasing traditional Christmas tree fir scent, that tends to be less pungent than the spruces. The downside is that they have relatively weak branches, requiring placement of heavy ornaments closer to the trunk and not at the end of the branches.
COLORADO BLUE SPRUCE
Blue spruces have relatively long (1-1 1/2") needles that are bluish green to vibrant powdery blue in color. These can have a dense foliage, or more tiered/spaced branches, allowing for beautiful spaces to place ornaments and have them visible even when placed deeper on the branches. These trees also have strong branches allowing for heavy ornament placement even on the ends of the branches. Needle retention is fair; not as good as the firs but better than the norway, with these trees lasting from 4-6 weeks with proper care. The downside to these trees is very sharp needles often requiring gloves and long sleeves when lighting and decorating. However, these sharp branches, can act as a deterrent to family pets from climbing in the tree or messing with ornaments.
NORWAY SPRUCE
The Norway spruce is one of the oldest traditional Christmas trees. This is the type of tree that is put up in Rockefeller Center each year! These trees are excellent for holding heavy ornaments, even at the end of the branches, with strong, upward turned branches. Norways tend to have relatively thick foliage with short, dark green needles and a strong "spruce" aroma. Their downside is that they don't have great needle retention, sometimes only lasting a few weeks before needles begin to drop off. These tree also have very sharp needles requiring gloves and long sleeves for handling and when lighting and decorating. However, like the Blue spruce, this feature can be advantageous if you have want to keep your pets away from the tree.
It is difficult to gauge the height of trees in the field. To assist you in better choosing a tree that is the right height for your home, Alger Tree Farm has measuring sticks available for you to take with you as you wander about our 17 acres.
Even though you cannot cut your tree exactly even with the ground and you will need to cut an additional bit off the bottom of your tree when you get home, your stand will add about four inches and your top piece another four inches to the final height of your tree. Therefore, it is recommended that you choose a tree that is somewhat shorter than the height of your ceiling. At our farm we have saws available to use to cut your own tree.
Once you have picked your tree and cut it down, we recommend tamping it hard on the ground several times to shake out any loose needles, dirt or grass that may be in the tree. Do not be surprised if quite a number of needles fall from your tree. This is perfectly normal and no indication whatsoever as to the overall health of your tree.
GETTING YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE HOME
Before you leave Alger Tree farm, we will bale your tree in loose netting. This open-weave sleeve will make it easier for you to get your tree home and protect it on the way. We have twine for you to use to tie your tree for its travel home. If needed, we can help you tie the tree on your car. Please see the video below for tips on how to tie your tree securely to get it safely home.
HOW TO TIE YOUR TREE ON YOUR CAR
WHEN YOU GET HOME
As soon as you get home, cut an additional 1/4inch off the stump of your tree and place it in water. If this is not possible, it is recommended that you at least "rough up" the bottom to remove the sap layer. As all trees at Alger Tree Farm are live in the field until you make your selection, they have lots of sap flowing through them. Pruning saws such as you will see on our farm are best for cutting through wet wood.
You can bring your tree inside right away or leave it outside or in a cool space, like a garage, until you are ready to trim it. Leaving it in a cool place will help with needle retention if you had to pick up your tree sooner than you needed it or if you want to leave the tree up longer after Christmas. Either way, make sure it is in water at all times (a bucket works great if your tree is outside or in the garage) and we recommend keeping the netting on your tree until it is in its stand in your home.
The key to keeping your tree green will be to keep it away from direct heat and to keep the base wet. Fresh trees tend to be very thirsty; therefore, it is important that you check the tree's water at least once every day.
Enjoy your fresh-cut tree and we look forward to seeing you again next year at Alger Tree Farm!