# Tree Farm



## jmacd (Jul 14, 2009)

I decided to try my hand at tree farming. I started with 250 Blue Wonder Blue Spruce Trees. I think next year I will try some sort of ornamental tree like Red Maple. Any Suggestions?


----------



## TimelessQuality (Sep 23, 2007)

Scotch Pine... 

Then start building a cider shack, a hay ride, and some giant candy canes:thumbsup:


----------



## jmacd (Jul 14, 2009)

I could dress up as Santa. Already working on the belly. :whistling
Xmas tree farm was a thought, or pumpkins, veggie stand etc.


----------



## TimelessQuality (Sep 23, 2007)

jmacd said:


> or pumpkins


I'll bet you could build a killer punkin' chucker:thumbsup:


----------



## cleveman (Dec 28, 2007)

I would buy a 25 pack of each tree you are interested in and plant them close together and buy a small spade in a few years.

Any opinions on those tree toad spades which can allegedly be operated by hand by pounding in the spades manually?

In '06 I planted a bunch of arbor vitaes which I think I paid 79c each for. Now they are 3-6 feet tall and retailing for $25.

I'm not sure one can make money at it. We can always buy 6-8' potted deciduous trees for $25 and 3-4' conifers from the local energy companies and part of their public relations program. And you are limited to 2 per account.


----------



## Acres (Feb 12, 2011)

Apple Trees, you'll need apples for the cider shack. They'll be Nothing like screaming kids on your property, taking a bite out of one apple then throwing it (wait thats me)..but seriously apple trees, you see what they charge for a picking a bag of fresh apples now.

Tomatoes, they seem to be in high demand now :shutup:

Red Maple? Be better if they were Jap Maple (red - green)


----------



## jmacd (Jul 14, 2009)

Thanks guys, I have about two more acres to plant something on. I would like to know what is considered a profitable planting. Something that would not need plowing equipment. I like trees best.


----------



## Acres (Feb 12, 2011)

Jmacd remember to grow something you don't neccessaraly have to plant it in the ground. When you plant it, you have to dig it up, very labor intensive sometimes. 1-5 even 10 gallon black plastic buckets will work. I pull up to larger full landscape companies, and its not uncommon to see all sorts of popular local plants being grown in organized rows of buckets, in small areas. they can make a killing and there setting up there scapes to include there types of plants. with this method one acre can be plenty.

Potted Bamboo, Ginseng, jap maples, marijuana:clap:, for long term-full rhododendrons, and of coourse the Money tree- been waiting for mine to sprout up.. 

Topiaries, especially lettered topiaries. A full grown golfer plant sold to a golf course could be worth hundreds as an example. Usually made up of boxwoods and grow quick easy to shape

VISIT your local nursury, walk the aisles and see whats priced at what and ask them whats most popular etc.. good luck, wish I had the extra space to do something like that..

Ahh Forgot to mention my native plant, cranberries- yields 20-25K an acre


----------



## Rio (Oct 13, 2009)

Don't know if they'll grow in your area or if you have the time to let them mature but I've read that black walnut trees are a good investment for planting.


----------



## cleveman (Dec 28, 2007)

I think the zones get a little queer up there, with vineyards around Niagra, etc. 

Can you grow Chestnuts? You must be close to the market for these.

I will second the apple cider idea. You can turn this into a vineyard type thing with a restaurant, guest house, etc. Very popular in Hessen, Germany, Normandy, France, and I guess some places in England. Very regional.


----------



## jmacd (Jul 14, 2009)

Thanks for the responses. Your Walnut Tree advise was made to me before. I guess some day when I retire, (going to be a while) I could have something to do. 

The trees in pots sound like a good idea. The pot plants not so much. :whistling


----------



## peteo (Jan 8, 2011)

Jmac,

If you are going to try your hand at Japanese Maples just make sure to place them somewhere that there isnt a lot of wind. They get wind burn real easy and then they generally dont recover well or die. kind of a fussy tree but worth a ton of $ when they get big. A lady that lives a few miles from me had a 15 yr old one that she sold to a nursery for several thousand dollars. I dont know what the exact figure was but she said she made out like a bandit.


----------



## jmacd (Jul 14, 2009)

Thanks Peteo,
My property is located at 2000' above sea level and is very windy, and lots of snow. That would eliminate the Jap Maple I guess.


----------



## ets80 (Jan 1, 2013)

Evergreens, blue spruces, arbor vitiles. Plant them closer together, sell them at around 3' to 6' Easier to handle and for customers to pick-up without a vehicle to haul large stuff


----------



## Texas Wax (Jan 16, 2012)

jmacd said:


> Thanks for the responses. Your Walnut Tree advise was made to me before. I guess some day when I retire, (going to be a while) I could have something to do.
> 
> The trees in pots sound like a good idea. The pot plants not so much. :whistling


LOL Was going to suggest walnut- as your retirement plan and you can sell walnut nuts to supplement your income on the way. I hate the way they smell when drying and stain your hands bad. My grandfather had walnut trees and harvested/dryed/shelled them.

:clap:No Officer that is not a pot plant it's a rope tree sapling :clap:


----------



## bob_cntrctr (Jan 30, 2008)

I grew up working on a tree farm.

First, do some research. 

Market research to determine what's selling in your region, at what price, from which competitors. Easiest is to go to your local big operations and see what looks like it's moving. 

Then - business plan - are you going to retail, or wholesale? Retail is a killer anymore. Too hard to compete with big box garden centres selling crappy plants at cut throat prices on the common plants. Maybe as an excavator you know a whole bunch of contruction and lanscaping companies you can wholesale to as a better plan.

And farming research - 'cause, I hate to say it, but out of the gate that field of blue spruce is a mistake. Those are far too young to be planted like that. You could have raised them another year or two in pots on a tiny fraction of the space, and had them remain mobile to put them in a more controlled environment. One in ten of those in the field aren't going to make it, and with an open, un-fenced field like that, all it'll take is one idiot on a snowmobile to crush another one in ten.

Oh crap - just noticed the original post date. Old thread. Too late.


----------



## jmacd (Jul 14, 2009)

bob_contractor said:


> I grew up working on a tree farm.
> 
> First, do some research.
> 
> ...


Thanks for advise. You are correct on the death rate. Lost at least 10% but last summer was very dry. It has been a learning experience like every thing else. 

I also planted 70 large spruce trees , 8' to 14' tall last summer around the perimeter of my parking area and lost a couple of them but the rest are taking. Planting these more for a wind break and privacy but would sell them. Had a lot of help from a local tree farm, (owner was been very nice and has become a friend), as to price, what to buy and how to take care of them. 

Have enjoyed planting them, I would call it more of a reforestation effort than looking for a big return on my investment. :thumbsup:


----------



## jmacd (Jul 14, 2009)

Here are some photo's of planting the larger trees.


----------



## leeson1776 (Feb 6, 2012)

What about a Christmas Tree farm? We used to grow spruce for that. It's a lot less labor intensive to cut them down than dig them up. You could fill a big trailer with fresh cut ones and take them into town around Christmas times. Stagger the growth by planting only maybe 30 a year or so. 

Also, black walnut is out. There's a bark beetle spreading like wildfire and they're killing all the walnut trees. There are no chemical treatments against these pests.


----------



## treesofga (Sep 30, 2013)

Looks beautiful, you're lucky so have so much land to build on!


----------

