News Articles November 2004 Christmas Trees As an Investment is featured in the “Christmas Section” of Country Folks Grower (Nov. ’04). “The decision as to whether or not to grow Christmas trees can be partially decided by economic considerations. . . . Experienced growers estimate that once the trees are above 3 feet tall, each acre requires about 40 man-hours per year of care. . . . It is not until some trees are large enough for harvest and sale that a positive cash flow begins to develop. Production costs . . . estimates can range from $3,000 to $12,000 per acre. Total costs will often depend upon the size of the operation. . . . Larger growers will need to rely on tractor-mounted equipment and may easily invest $10,000 or more in equipment.” This article is part of a larger publication from Virginia Cooperative Extension. The entire publication, which includes sections on the advantages of growing Christmas trees, Christmas tree production, and Christmas tree marketing, is available at http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/forestry/420-080/420-080.html#L3.
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