Geared toward 4- to 9-year-olds, Our Christmas Tree Farm offers a cozy peek behind the scenes at what it takes to grow the centerpiece of many American families’ Christmas traditions: a real Christmas tree.
Told through 7-year-old Kate’s narration, the story follows a bustling tree farm where the whole family pitches in, including Daisy the dog. Customers arrive ready to choose a tree and enjoy classic farm fun like popcorn, sledding, and other seasonal activities, while Kate’s family stays busy keeping everything running — popping corn, setting up sleds, and baling trees — alongside the careful work that makes the farm successful.
Although the story takes place during the holiday season, it makes it clear the farm doesn’t only come alive in December. It’s active year-round, with Papa trimming trees and Mom mowing paths, season after season. That steady, behind-the-scenes rhythm gives the holiday moments more meaning, and it also helps young readers understand that farming is built on patience and repetition.
At the heart of the book is Kate’s anticipation for a tree that was planted especially for her when she was born. Now that both Kate and the tree are seven years old, it has finally grown tall enough to be cut, brought inside, and decorated — an easy, kid-friendly way to show how long it can take for a Christmas tree to mature. The book also weaves in a brief, accessible lesson on grafting when Kate’s little brother Henry becomes so attached to the tree that the family decides to graft a piece of it, starting a tree of his very own.
Bright illustrations, lively writing, and quick tree farm facts make this picture book feel like both a story and a small seasonal field trip. It also includes substantial backmatter with information on how trees are grown and cared for on farms, facts about Christmas trees and tree farms, a simple explanation of grafting a new tree from a twig, and guidance on eco-friendly ways to recycle a Christmas tree.
Our Christmas Tree Farm was published by Feeding Minds Press, a project of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture. The book is available through the Foundation’s online store, as well as Amazon and other retailers.
»Related: The truth beneath the tinsel: Christmas tree farms and sustainability»
