Sharlote Cathey stands beside a Virgina pine at Elves Christmas Tree Farm and Pumpkin Patch near Denison. Sharlote and her husband, Marshall, have owned the farm since 1999, and they have 20 acres devoted to Christmas trees.
Photo by Kari Kramer
Green season for Texas Christmas tree farms
By Kari Kramer, Country World staff writer
Nov. 29, 2007 - Christmas is a year-round affair for Sharlote and Marshall Cathey. The pair devotes 11 months of work to preparing for one month of business and celebration.
The Catheys own the Elves Christmas Tree Farm and Pumpkin patch in Denison. Both business professionals — he works at Texas Instruments and she is a nurse — the pair never planned on running a labor intensive forestry and horticulture operation.
Sharlote, 34, grew up next door to the Christmas tree farm. Once married, her husband took a particular interest in the farm’s activities. When it went up for sale in 1999, the pair, through a series of fortunes and misfortunes, came to own it.
“We bought the farm because my husband thought it would be fun,” Sharlote said. “But, it’s a lot of work.”
Neither of the young landowners had a background in farming or forestry, and relied heavily on the farm’s former owner for advice.
“The previous owner, he helped us. He pretty much told us what he was doing,” Sharlote explained.
After a year, the two were on their own. They joined the Texas Christmas Tree Growers Association, and took advantage of the group’s resources and expertise. Topics such as pricing trees, service and chemical use were introduced to the pair.
In the beginning, Sharlote said she and her husband tried to do every thing on the farm “by the book.” They even went as far as to trim heavily during the first drought they experienced as owners during 2000.
“We lost hundreds of trees by trimming during the drought,” she recalled. “That was our learning curve.”
Since then, the Catheys have have been successful in managing the Christmas tree farm. In addition to the 18 acres of trees growing when they purchased the farm, they now cultivate two more acres. Sharlote estimated the farm is home to more than 12,000 trees.
“The majority of them are Virginia Pines,” she noted. “Then we’ve got Leyland Cypress and this year we decided to do live trees in pots, and they’re Leylands, too.”
Caring for the trees is time consuming. Each month there is a new task to complete.
“We get our seedlings the second weekend in January,” said Sharlote. The Catheys drive to an International Paper facility in East Texas, near Tyler, to pick the trees up.
“We try to plant as soon as we can,” she added. “We plant from January to February and we’re done with most of it by February.”
Once all the trees are planted, the pair begin spraying trees to prevent damage and infestations.
“We have to spray for Nantucket Pine tip moths and we spray in March or April for those,” explained Sharlote. After years of spraying, the Catheys now rely on the insecticide Confirm®. “Using that has cut down a lot on us using any other kind of chemicals, and it doesn’t hurt your beneficial insects.”
Ideally, the first trimming of trees should take place in May. The second trimming stage should begin in August.
“You’re supposed to trim twice a year, but we’ve gotten where we almost trim year round,” explained Sharlote.
The Catheys trim routinely because trimming all of the trees at once is nearly impossible, especially with two small children (boys ages five and eight). “We just try to do as much work as we can as we go along,” said Sharlote.
Since their first trimming disaster in 2000, the pair has had better luck shaping their trees. Even with the dry weather in the last few years, they managed to minimally trim and save most of their trees.
“We lost some baby trees, but we didn’t lose any of the grown trees because we were smart enough to know not to trim,” noted Sharlote. “But, the trees are very forgiving for the most part. You can trim a lot and they’ll end up looking great.”
In addition to normal chores, this year the duo spent time clearing and reworking previously planted fields with hopes breaking up the solid hard ground pan that blocked growing roots.
“We went through and cut everything down and pulled the stumps,” said Sharlote. In January, the pair plan to clear cut another half of one field. Because any left over trees in that field will be removed, the Catheys priced every tree(even the short ones) with hopes of selling them, rather than clearing them.
The final chore of the season must be complete just before the holiday season. Each tree is colored to reflect a natural, fresh color.
“Unless you want a yellow pine tree, they all get colored,” explained Sharlote. “All trees have to be colored. They turn yellow. The colorant helps the tree and seals it.
“It doesn’t harm you, it doesn’t harm the tree, and it makes the tree better.”
Trees are colored using a sprayer, hooked to a tractor. The color is misted on the tree. Sharlote said most people aren’t aware that Christmas trees are colored when they stand in the field.
Besides caring for the trees planted in the field, the Catheys also nurture the potted trees they grow. The potted Leyland Cypress trees won’t be available for purchase for a few more years. Until then, they will require routine watering.
The potted trees are relatively new to the Elves farm. The Catheys tried selling potted trees once before but had little luck.
“We tried it one year, and after all the hassle, I think we maybe sold two of them,” said Sharlote.
The remaining potted trees were sold to landscapers, and the following year, no potted trees were offered. Oddly enough, Sharlote said, many customers began inquiring about potted trees and purchasing trees with roots. Some even asked if they could dig up a tree (and its roots) from the field.
“You can’t dig a Virginia Pine up,” said Sharlote, noting the extensive root system. “So, I think the potted trees are something we will just have to have around.”
The Catheys strive to offer a variety of trees and service. Trees are priced based on size and quality.
Family members and area youth help run the business and operate a store onsite. Trees can be cut by the customer, or one of the Catheys’ youthful employees can lend a hand. A tractor hauls customers to a from the field (along with their tree). Trees are shaken and bundled, and sometimes drilled for specific stands, onsite.
“We try to be as totally full-service as possible,” explained Sharlote.
Inside the barn, a store offers everything from fresh wreaths to ornaments and toys. There’s never a shortage of food, drinks, and good conversation. The entire barn is insulated and complete with two bathrooms, a stove, microwave and refrigerator.
After 11 months of hard work, the Catheys finally reap their awards.
“I enjoy it once it’s all up and running,” said Sharlote. “Once everything is decorated and set up, it all flows fairly smoothly. Every year you think you’re never going to get done, but it always gets done.”
Customers flock from all around the take home a piece of nature and enjoy the experience.
“For some, it’s a tradition, it’s a family experience,” explained Sharlote. “People may have never had a real tree and want to do something different.
“It’s nostalgia, some of it. People want to get back to something that is real and natural. You’re offering up something for people to be able to do as a family.
“The most important thing is your family tradition. We just try to keep the message that this is God’s season and your Christmas tree draws your family together.”
Christmas trees are available for purchase at the Elves Christmas Tree Farm and Pumpkin Patch weekdays from 3-5 p.m., from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturdays and 1-5 p.m. on Sundays. More information about the farm is available at www.ElvesChristmasTreeFarm.com or by calling (903) 463-7260.
