By Clint Thompson
Christmas tree production continues to garner interest in Alabama. Producers must be wary, though, of what they’re getting into before planting their first tree, says Jeremy Pickens, Alabama assistant Extension professor in horticulture at Auburn University.
“I think the No. 1 thing starts with, and it goes with everything, just having a master plan and really thinking through it. You don’t want to go plant a bunch of trees and it be in the wrong spot where maybe you haven’t thought about traffic flow, parking and things like that,” Pickens said.
“I think where people probably underestimate is the amount of labor that goes in the most. It can be labor intensive. A lot of people want to do it when they retire and really don’t realize, it’s not just a plant it and come back in a couple of years kind of crop.”
Potential producers also need to consider the different liabilities associated with the agritourism aspect that accompanies Christmas tree production. Christmas tree farms attract lots of visitors during the late fall.
“They need to be aware of the different liabilities associated with that; insurance, signage and such,” Pickens said. “I know the Farmers’ Federation here in Alabama, they have signage or language that you should put up for agritourism. Sometimes they’ll offer them up or at least give you the verbiage where you can print it up yourself. They recommend putting that up for liability reasons. On top of that, you want liability insurance.”
Pickens said there has been “steady interest” with Alabama residents wanting more information in starting production. He probably receives five to six calls every year from people interested in starting it.
