Some of the Christmas trees flying out the gate at Crane Road Christmas Trees, which is expecting to sell out this weekend.
Some of the Christmas trees flying out the gate at Crane Road Christmas Trees, which is expecting to sell out this weekend.
Hundreds of Whangārei folk will be having a tree-mendous festive season, thanks to the efforts of a local family who grow around 1000 Christmas trees and sell many to locals.
The Bird family: mum Kayla, dad Simon and children Frank (6), Walter (5) and Scarlett (3), have been growing treesat Crane Road Christmas Trees for five years.
They have opened the property for the last two years so people can come and choose their own trees.
Kayla said the trees have become so popular that they are likely to sell out this weekend.
The Bird family, mum Kayla, dad Simon, and children Frank, 6, Walter, 5, and Scarlett, 3, are growing plenty of festive memories at Whangārei’s Crane Road Christmas Trees.
“It’s really great to have so many families come along and be able to choose their own trees.
“We really make it a good day for them, with a very Christmassy feel,” Kayla said.
“We have Santa and decorations and people just love it. Some will come with a picnic and make a day of it. It’s such a fun occasion and we really love it.”
Whangārei’s Crane Road Christmas Trees provides a fun, family-friendly environment for those coming to pick up Christmas trees.
The big man himself, Santa Claus, provides festive fun for those getting their trees at Whangārei’s Crane Road Christmas Trees.
Kayla said growing Christmas trees runs in the family, with her parents Murray and Betty Sulzberger previously running a Christmas tree farm in Auckland.
Her parents passed on their knowledge and love of the Christmas tree.
“They’ve retired now, but they both come up and help us out as we get so busy. So we’re second-generation Christmas tree growers.”
Kayla said for the first three years of operation they brought up pre-cut trees from her parents’ Auckland farm while theirs grew at the Crane Rd property.
Some of the 1000 trees that have been growing at Crane Road Christmas Trees in Whangārei this year.
“We have over 1000 Christmas trees planted and they take about three and a half years to grow.”
Kayla said the trees need lots of pruning and care.
“It makes for a wonderful family tradition wandering around the Christmas tree farm, with an ice cream, looking for that perfect tree.”
When they find that tree, people wave their bamboo stick with a Santa hat on top and the Birds come along to chop it down for them.
The Birds are expecting a busy weekend as people turn up to get the last of this year’s available trees.
Crane Road Christmas Trees is one of a number of properties growing the festive trees in Northland, with Puketona Christmas Tree Farm also nurturing thousands of trees to sell every year.
Taking care of a tree
To care for a natural Christmas tree, you must make a fresh cut to the trunk, place it in water, and keep the stand constantly filled with fresh water.
