Thanks for a great season!

We are so blessed to have wonderful customers like you. Thank you all for another great season and allowing our family to be a part of your family's Christmas tradition. Here are some aerial tours of the farm to recap some of the fun of the season. Thanks to one of our customers for sharing his videos with us.

Kaleidoscope Farms opening early this year

It seems that every year people want to get in the holiday spirit sooner and make their annual trip to Kaleidoscope Farms earlier in the season.

“It used to be that our busiest days were on that first weekend in December but that has really shifted to the weekend after Thanksgiving in recent years,” said Dave Reese, owner of Kaleidoscope Farms. “To accommodate those who are wishing to get their tree earlier we are trying something different this year by opening for business the weekend before Thanksgiving.”

For the first time ever Kaleidoscope will be open the Saturday and Sunday prior to Thanksgiving, Nov. 21 (10 a.m. until 5 p.m) and Nov. 22 (2 p.m. until 5 p.m.). Then, after Thanksgiving, the farm will be open for the normal hours.

Nov. 27: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Nov. 28: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Nov. 29: 2 p.m.-6 p.m.

Following that weekend the farm will be open from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Saturdays and 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. on Sundays until the last day for the season, Dec. 19. 

Getting Christmas trees earlier in the season increases the importance of proper tree care. It is very important to keep them well watered. They will take up more water than many people think.

Here are some additional tree care tips from the National Christmas Tree Association.

1. Displaying trees in water in a traditional reservoir type stand is the most effective way of maintaining their freshness and minimizing needle loss problems.

2. Make a fresh cut to remove about a half-inch thick disk of wood from the base of the trunk before putting the tree in the stand. Make the cut perpendicular to the stem axis. Don't cut the trunk at an angle, or into a v-shape, which makes it far more difficult to hold the tree in the stand and also reduces the amount of water available to the tree.

3. Once home, place the tree in water as soon as possible. Most species can go 6 to 8 hours after cutting the trunk and still take up water. Don't bruise the cut surface or get it dirty.

4. If needed, trees can be temporarily stored for several days in a cool location. Place the freshly cut trunk in a bucket that is kept full of water.

5. To display the trees indoors, use a stand with an adequate water holding capacity for the tree. As a general rule, stands should provide 1 quart of water per inch of stem diameter. Devices are available that help maintain a constant water level in the stand.

6. Keep trees away from major sources of heat (fireplaces, heaters, heat vents, direct sunlight). Lowering the room temperature will slow the drying process, resulting in less water consumption each day.

7. The temperature of the water used to fill the stand is not important and does not affect water uptake.

8. Check the stand daily to make sure that the level of water does not go below the base of the tree. With many stands, there can still be water in the stand even though the base of the tree is no longer submerged in water.

9. Drilling a hole in the base of the trunk does not improve water uptake.

10.           Use of lights that produce low heat, such as miniature lights, will reduce drying of the tree.

Operation Evergreen 2015

In the days leading up to Veteran’s Day each year, veterans are invited select Christmas trees from the tree farm to cut for the Operation Evergreen program. Elementary students, high school students and community groups also participate by making ornaments.This year groups from Bluffton, Cory-Rawson, Hardin Northern, and Tiffin participated. The Lima Beane Chorus also stopped by to perform a some religious and patriotic songs. 

The trees and ornaments then go from the farms to the Ohio Department of Agriculture where they are inspected and shipped to U.S. troops stationed overseas.

This year’s Operation Evergreen tree inspection and loading event is at the Ohio Department of Agriculture on Nov. 13. Operation Evergreen is possible thanks to $16,000 in donations to cover the shipping cost of the program.

For more on Operation Evergreen, contact Amy Galehouse at Galehouse Tree Farms at 330-658-2480 or galehousetreefarms@bright.net or the OCTA office at 740-828-3331 or val@ohiochristmastree.com.

Tree tagging opportunities just around the corner for 2015

Interested in tagging a tree early this year? If so, there are a few important dates to note. We will be available for tagging trees Sunday Oct. 25 from 2 to 5 p.m., and Sunday Nov. 8 from 3 to 5 p.m. (following a Veteran's Day event starting at 2 for the Operation Evergreen Program). See you there!

In addition, for the first time ever we will be opening up a week early this year. We will be open the Saturday and Sunday prior to Thanksgiving, Nov. 21 (10 a.m. until 5 p.m) and Nov. 22 (2 p.m. until 5 p.m.). Then, after Thanksgiving, will be open for our normal hours.

Nov. 27: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Nov. 28: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Nov. 29: 2 p.m.-6 p.m.

Following that weekend we will be open from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Saturdays and 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. on Sundays until our last day for the season, Dec. 19.