RICE - The Holiday season is finally here, and for many that means going out and getting a Christmas tree to put up in the house.

For the Hinkemeyer Tree Farm this is the most exciting time of the year.

"It feels like the whole month is Christmas," Floyd Hinkemeyer says.

The Hinkemeyer Tree Farm was first established in 1971. Their trees and wreaths have also been featured at the Minnesota State Fair since 1985. The farm plans to sell hundreds of trees and wreaths this holiday season.

There have been some recent ownership changes, but the farm is still family owned. New co-owner Chery Thiele says she grew up on the farm and that Christmas trees have played a big part in her life.

"I can't imagine going through a Christmas season without selling Christmas trees," Thiele says.

The farm has some new features for guests this year, including a snack bar and horse drawn rides through the fields.

The Hinkemeyer Tree Farm is located at 12675 22nd Avenue NE in Rice. The farm is open Thursday/Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday/Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

More information can be found on their website.

Christmas tree sellers have a tighter timeframe this year to make their revenue.

With Thanksgiving falling on the latest possible date this year, tree growers have one less weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas to sell their spruce, pine and firs.

Jim Whorton, owner of Chub Lake Tree Farm near Carlton, says he's been opening on the Friday after Thanksgiving for 30 years. But not this year. Whorton says with Thanksgiving falling on the 28th this year, he couldn't wait that long. He opened this past Saturday.

Doug Hoffbauer sells trees in Duluth and Superior, Wis., and started selling wreaths, garlands and other decorations early this year, but not trees. Hoffbauer says few people hosting Thanksgiving want to add decorating a Christmas tree to their list of chores this week.

(Dan DeBaun, WJON News)
(Dan DeBaun, WJON News)
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