HOUGHTON LAKE — With Thanksgiving days away, Christmas tree farms across Northern Michigan are already buzzing.
At King’s farms in Houghton Lake, the holiday rush isn’t just about selling trees - it’s about months of preparation, rising costs and keeping a long-running family tradition alive.
King’s Farms owner Leah King said the Christmas season starts long before the first family walks the field.
“Preparation starts in July with pruning. I keep going until I’m done,” King said.
The 29-acre farm has been in the King’s family since the 1800s. They sell about 600 trees a year, mostly Frazier firs and Blue Spruce. While some farms around the country have been known to spray or dye their trees to enhance color, King said her farm stays natural.
“I think they’re gorgeous on their own, but there’s a time and place for everything.”
This year’s weather has helped production with steady rain and sun, keeping both young and established trees healthy.
But King said the long growing cycle - seven to fifteen years - means farms everywhere remain vulnerable to disease.
“Needle casts are something that we have struggled with occasionally in the past,” said King. “But you need to keep up on your spraying programs, and you need to be scouting constantly for different pests and diseases.”
And now, inflation is adding a new challenge.
“Everything costs more. Ribbon costs money, decorations cost money. People cost money. We try to do what we can to keep prices down, but operating the tractor is an added expense.”
Still, King said every tree sold has an economic impact locally.
“Every dollar spent here helps me be able to maintain and grow this farm. And it allows me to spend money at other local businesses, which is fantastic,” said King.
King’s Farms is officially open for the season, offering real trees, handmade wreaths, and custom orders - all from what King calls a small operation with a big heart.