A Christmas Tree Story

Carole and Steve Huebner stands next to a towering 4-year-old Leyland cypress at their Leon County Christmas tree farm. The Leyland cypress is a cross between Alaskan cedar and Monterey cypress trees. (Journal photo/David Stone) Thanksgiving is reserved for feasts, football and family. The days that follow, however, are often spent in search of the perfect Christmas tree. Steve and Carole Huebner hope that search leads at least some tree seekers to their Leon County Christmas tree farm.

The Huebners started their farm about four years ago, and this will be the first year that they have trees to sell.

"We're a little nervous," Steve admits. "We don't really know what to expect, but we do have a good crop of trees."

The farm, located on a scenic slice of hillside land about six miles northwest of Leona, will have two types of Christmas trees available this year - Virginia pines and the Leyland cypress, a cross between Alaskan cedar and Monterey cypress trees.

"We call the Leyland our allergy-free tree," Carole said. "It doesn't produce pollen or cones. It doesn't bloom at all."

Steve Huebner uses a special tree-shaping tool to shear 3-year-old Leyland cypress Christmas trees. The farm's 4-year-old trees will be available for purchase starting the day after Thanksgiving. Huebner Christmas Tree Farm is located between Leona and Normangee. Huebner is a retired Extension agent in Leon County. (Journal photo/David Stone) "This is good news for families who haven't been able to have a real tree because someone in the family suffers from allergies," Steve said. "Now they can."

The Leyland cypress is extremely dark green in color and has a lacey texture. Although the trees in this year's crop are 4 years old, some have grown at different rates, giving customers a range of sizes to choose from.

"We have a good range of Leylands to choose from," Carole said. "We have them from 5 feet to more than 12 feet tall, and we also have a nice variety of Virginia pines."

The Huebners have worked hard to make buying a Christmas tree at their farm a family experience.

Carole Huebner uses a special machine to make wreaths out of small limbs from a Virginia pine tree in a workshop at Huebner Christmas Tree Farm. The farm will open to the public on the day after Thanksgiving. (Journal photo/David Stone) "We'll take them down the hill on a hayride," Steve said. "Then they can walk through the tree field and pick out the tree they want. They can cut down the tree or we will cut it for them."

Once a tree is selected and cut, it is taken up the hill to the Huebner's service barn where it is bundled in netting. Also, a hole can be drilled in the bottom of the tree so it fits perfectly on stands that are available for purchase, he said.

The barn doubles as a workshop where Carole creates Christmas wreaths from tree cuttings.

"We make a variety of wreaths, including traditional round wreaths or wreaths shaped as crosses or candy canes," she said. "We decorate them with bows and berries."

Carole said the cuttings used for wreaths are dipped in preservatives so they will last until after Christmas.

The Huebners decided to go into the Christmas tree business after they retired from long careers. Carole was a journalist for more than 20 years with the Centerville News; Steve was an ag agent for the Extension Service in Leon County.

"I learned a little about the Christmas tree business when I was an ag agent," Steve explained. "At the time, we had a couple tree farms in the county - one near Leona and the other up around Marquez. Both are gone now, but I would help them with problems from time to time. But for the most part, it's been a learn-as-you-go experience."

"It's been a lot of fun," Carole added, "but it's also a lot of work."

The Huebners have planted a new field every year for four years because that's how long it takes to grow a marketable tree.

"The first year we planted Virginia pines and the Leylands," Steve said, "but the second year we added a tree called Blue Ice. It will be another year before we have some of those to sell."

Before planting that first crop four years ago, the Huebners installed a drip irrigation system.

"Christmas trees are far from drought tolerant," Steve said.

The Huebners are members of the Texas Christmas Tree Association, and that organization has a contract with a forestry company that provides seedlings.

"The Virginia pine is grown from seed, but the Leylands have to be grown from cuttings," Steve said. "We buy plants started from cuttings from a company in Louisiana, then transplant them here."

Once the trees are planted, the work begins.

"It will be 4 years before they can be sold, but we start preparing for that day when the trees are very young," he said. "The trees have to be pruned so they are full, and they have to be shaped."

Steve uses a tool that resembles a gas-powered Weed Eater to shape the trees, and that work has to be done twice a year. That's no small job when you consider the Huebners have about 3,000 trees in the ground. The Huebners purposely leave a few Virginia pines shaggy so they can be used Carole's wreath-making business.

Protecting small trees from deer is one of the tougher challenges the Huebners have faced.

"Bucks will eat the Leylands, but the biggest problem is keeping bucks from rubbing their antlers against the trees. It's natural for them to try and get the velvet off their anthers, but they can sure destroy a tree."

To protect the trees, he sprays them with a mix of garlic and rotten eggs.

"It sounds odd, but it sure works," he said.

Steve said the Virginia pine is a popular Christmas tree grown from East Texas across the Southeast to the Carolinas and Virginia.

"Virginia pines require acidic soil, which makes them perfect for East Texas," he said. "As a rule of thumb, Interstate 35 kind of divides the state. East of I-35, the soil is acidic and Virginia pines are grown. West of I-35 you see more Afghan pines. Both make good Christmas trees."

The Huebners sell their Christmas trees by the foot. Premium trees bring $5.50 a foot, so a 6-foot tree would cost $33. The farm also sells Leyland cypress trees that are growing in pots. That way, the trees can be enjoyed as a Christmas tree, then planted in the yard.

Huebner Christmas Tree Farm opens Friday, Nov. 28, and will be open 9 a.m. to dark Tuesday through Saturday and from 1 p.m. to dark on Sundays.

Santa will be at the farm from 1-3 p.m. on opening day, and the Huebners have arranged for him to return from 9 a.m. to noon on Dec. 6.

"Customers need to bring gloves, warm clothes and some enthusiasm," Steve said. "We'll supply the rest."