Cut Your Own Christmas Trees, Custom Made Wreaths and Garland
Christmas Trees
All trees are $12 per foot. We measure your Christmas tree from the base to the first set of branches down from the top (the upper whorl) not to the tip of the leader. The reason? To give you height allowance to trim the leader for your star or angel; why pay for something you trim off?
Honey
Nature’s Best Apiaries offers the finest raw, unpasteurized wildflower honey gathered from its hives situated in Boone county. On-site at the farm, we have a self-serve honey barn offering honey in sizes from one pound to seven pounds in either glass or plastic containers, and honeycomb (available starting in July / August). Please call ahead for larger quantities.
TYPES OF TREES
At Nature's Best Trees (and bees!) we offer a select variety of the finest evergreens. We invite you to learn more about these popular varieties or to investigate the history of the Christmas Tree. Information is care of the Illinois Christmas Tree Association and the National Christmas Tree Association. All fir, spruce and white pine trees are $12 per foot.
Fraser Fir
The Fraser Fir has classic looks, featuring short, soft, dark-green needles with silver undersides revealed by upturning branches. Its lush dense foliage, strong branches capable of carrying heavy ornaments, fragrance, shape make it one of the most popular trees on our Farm. Another important consideration which makes it one of the best Christmas trees is its ability to retain its soft needles for a long time after harvest. This variety suffers from spelling errors as it is one of the most commonly misspelled: Frazer Fir, Frasier Fir, Fraser Fur, etc.
Canaan
The Canaan (pronounced "Ka-naan", with emphasis on the last syllable) combines the beauty of the Fraser, and the sweet and spicy fragrance of the Balsam. The needles are short, soft, and rounded with a dark green topside and a silver accent underneath. The Canaan is a slightly tapered, but full tree. The branches are thick and sturdy, but still leave enough room to hang ornaments and lights closer to the center of the tree. Just like the Fraser Fir, the Canaan Fir will easily last from Thanksgiving through New Years.
Concolor Fir
The Concolor Fir (or White Fir) is somewhat similar in general appearance to the Colorado Blue Spruce, meaning it is a very attractive tree with a medium greenish blue color, although the needle structure is different. They are fast growing, can grow as high as 150 feet and live over 300 years. As a Christmas tree, Concolor fir has good greenish blue foliage color, soft needles, a pleasing natural shape and and excellent needle retention. The strong citrus and somewhat soapy scent is unique to this tree.
Douglas Fir
The Douglas Fir established itself as the primary Christmas Tree in the US early in the 20th century, and are still widely used as Christmas trees. Today they are almost universally harvested from tree farms, and not from the wild. They grow rapidly, and can reach heights of over 200 feet during a lifespan which can surpass 1,000 years. Douglas Fir feature soft gray-green to blue-green needles, which carry a very pleasant citrus/lemon-orange aroma when cut or crushed.
Black Hills Spruce
The Black Hills Spruce is a slow-growing, compact tree, but that slow growth results in dense growth. Its short, bright bluish green needles and a dense, conical shape make it an ideal Christmas tree. Although named after the South Dakota region in which it is naturally found, Black Hills Spruce actually thrive in a much wider range of cooler, moist regions, including some southern states if planted at a higher elevation.
Norway Spruce
The Norway Spruce is a fast growing, dark-green spruce with short needles. Its pleasant appearance makes it ideal as an ornamental, and it's growth rate is well-suited to applications such as windbreaks and privacy screens. Norways are the dominant evergreen in Europe, and although it is not native to the US, it is very commonly planted throughout the Northeast, Midwest and as far south as Tennessee. They can reach a jaw-dropping height of 200 feet, but most max out at an impressive 100 feet.
Eastern White Pine
Eastern White Pines are the kings of the Eastern forests and the tallest evergreen tree in North America. White Pine reach heights of up to 200 feet tall with a spread of up to 40 feet during a life span of easily 200 years. A fluffy looking Christmas tree with its long, soft blue-green 2 to 5 inch needles and excellent needle retention make it a popular tree. The tree has soft pliable branches and is friendly to young fingers however extremely heavy ornaments may pull the branches out of shape. It is also known as Northern White Pine or just White Pine.