Where can you cut your own Christmas tree? Check this list first

It takes seven to eight years for an evergreen to grow from a sapling to a full-size Christmas tree.

But Dale Barker, who looks after 10 acres of Douglas and Canaan firs, white pine and Norway spruce on the Fayette County farm where his mother’s family has lived for 80 years, is a patient man.

“It’s a long-term investment. You don’t plant today and pick it in three months,” he said.

After Thanksgiving, the farm’s gravel parking lot is filled with customers looking for the perfect tree. And the Barker family gets to work — supplying saws, making wreaths, wrapping and shaking trees, and taking photos of families with their trees. Last year, they sold 900 trees in eight days.

Barker’s father, William, is the parking lot attendant. “They come in here, and he greets them at the parking lot,” he said. “If they’ve been here 10 times before, he welcomes them back. If not, he tells them what’s going on.”

“The best thing about it is you get to see people over and over. We get to be a part of so many people’s Christmas. On Christmas morning, we know that they’re sitting around our tree. So we get to enjoy Christ’s birthday with a lot of people.”

To take care of your tree at home, Barker suggests starting with a good tree stand. “Tree stands have caused a lot of marriages to fail,” he said with a laugh. “For 20 dollars, it’s a great deal.”

Water is another must. “As long as that tree doesn’t run of water, you’re good for a good month. And you’ll enjoy your Christmas and not have to sweep up needles all the time.”

Before you head out in search of the perfect tree, take a look at our list of some local farms. For other farms around the state, go to Kychristmastreefarms.com.

Clark County

Kovalic’s Christmas Tree Farm. 487 Ecton Rd., Winchester. White and Scotch pine, Canaan fir, Douglas fir, Norway and blue spruce. Choose-and-cut or balled and burlapped. Trees shaken and wrapped. Cut white and Scotch pine $6-$8 a foot. Spruce or fir $10 a foot, balled and burlapped $15 a foot. Hours: 1-6 p.m. Thu., Fri.; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat., Sun. Nov. 24-Dec. 24. Directions: From Lexington on Interstate 64, take Exit 96, turn right onto Ky. 627. At first stoplight, turn left on Veterans Memorial Parkway (Ky. 1958), go 1 mile to Ky. 1960 or Ecton Road; turn right, go quarter-mile to farm on left. Contact: 859-744-2930: 859-808-0132. Facebook.com/kovalicschristmastreefarm.

Fayette County

Barker’s Christmas Tree Farm. 1500 Deer Haven Ln. Choose-and-cut Canaan and Douglas fir, Norway spruce and white pine. Trees shaken and wrapped for easier transport. Wreaths made daily. Tree stands. Tree prices start at $33, wreaths $16-$22. Cash or check only. Opens at 9 a.m. Nov. 24. Regular hours: 3:30-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat., noon-6 p.m. Sun. Directions: From Man o’ War Blvd., take Todds Rd. 1.8 miles out of town, past the Interstate 75 bridge. Once you’re over the bridge take the second left, opposite the entrance to Crossroads Christian Church which is Polo Club Blvd.. Follow the detour signs for Polo Club Blvd. until you reach Deer Haven Ln. Turn right onto Deer Haven Lane. The farm is on the right with a gravel parking lot. Barkerschristmastreefarm.com.

Nieman’s Tree Farm. 5100 Sulphur Ln., Lexington. Choose-and-cut Fraser Fir, 5- to 6-foot tree $60, 6- to 7-foot tree $80. Trees up to 16 feet. Saws available; farm will cut and load tree. Portable restroom. Hours: 9 a.m.-dark Nov. 22 and 24, Sat. and Sun., 3 p.m. to dark Mon.-Fri., Nov. 27 through Dec. 24. Directions: From Man o’ War Boulevard, take Todds Road 3 miles out of town, turn right on Sulphur Lane. Farm is on the right. Contact: 859-263-4535, 859-552-3532. Kychristmastree.com, tnieman2@windstream.net.

Madison County

Baldwin Farms. 1113 Tates Creek Rd., Richmond. Trees grown on the farm: Norway and white spruce, and white pine. Cut your own (bow saws provided) or farm will cut it. Most cut trees grown on the farm $50, even big trees. Extra-large trees are priced as marked. Fraser firs from North Carolina priced individually. Balled and burlapped trees to plant after Christmas start at $60, and the price goes up $10 a foot. Free hot chocolate and candy canes for customers. Merchandise includes wreaths, garland, mistletoe kissing balls, local honey, sorghum, jams, salsa. Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. daily Nov. 24 through Dec. 20. Directions: from Main Street (U.S. 25) in Richmond, take Tates Creek Road (Ky. 169) 1.5 miles and look for signs on left. Contact: 859-582-5785. Baldwinfarmsky.com.

Fleming County

Hutton-Loyd Tree Farm. 644 Christmas Tree Rd., Wallingford. White pine, Norway and Colorado blue spruce, Fraser firs. Choose-and-cut and pre-dug trees available. Cut trees $30-$100. Dug trees start at $45. Fraser firs from North Carolina start at $65. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 24-26. After that, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., noon-5 Sun. through Dec. 10. 859-474-0287. HL-treefarm.com.

Garrard County

Cathole Bend Tree Farm. 1243 Cathole Bend Rd., Lancaster. You-cut Norway, blue and white spruce; white pine and Canaan fir. Trees priced individually start at $15. Some trees All fir trees $56 any size. All other trees $45 tax included. Hours: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Fri.-Sun. Through Dec. 24. Directions: Take U.S. 27 to Ky. 52 in Lancaster, turn west toward Danville and go 0.8 mile. Turn south on Ky. 1150 (Old Danville Rd.) and go 2.8 miles to the bridge across Dix River. Don’t cross the bridge. Drive straight down Cathole Bend Rd.; the road ends at the farm. Contact: 859-985-7044.

Owen County

Michels Family Farm. 4275 Ky. 1316, Sparta. You-cut or the farm will cut for you. Scotch and white pine. Saws provided. Trees are shaken and baled. Most trees $50 to $70. Wreaths and swags. Hand-painted gourds, ornaments, tobacco stick stars. Hours: 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Nov. 24 and Sat. and Sun. through Dec. 25. Located 7 miles from Kentucky Speedway in Sparta. Contact: 502-750-7000. 859-643-2511. Facebook.com/michelsfamilyfarmfun.

This story was originally published November 22, 2017 at 3:44 PM with the headline "Where can you cut your own Christmas tree? Check this list first."