Suwanee cut-your-own tree farm all in the family

After all, it's rare most children get to take part in downing a tree, gleefully shouting "timber" while dreaming of the packages they know will soon rest at the tree's base.

It was this child-like love of Christmas trees that planted the seeds for the McConnell farm nearly six years ago. When their favorite cut-your-own business closed its door back then, the youngest McConnell, Thomas, had a simple idea: convert their informal baseball field into their own tree farm.

Thomas, now 17, and his parents, Tom and Julianna, purchased 400 Leyland Cypress seedlings from a nearby nursery and planted them in the field. The teen spent has spent his out-of-school hours helping his dad weed, mow, shape and prune, all to prepare for a few short weeks of business each Christmas. They've developed their own irrigation system to handle flooding and drought, battled against bucks who love to nuzzle their horns against the bark, and dealt with the effects of the occasional blight. Last year the family sold about 100 trees, ranging from $35 for a seven-footer to $85 for an 11-feet-tall tree.

It's neither wildly lucrative or an easy venture, but the McConnells say it's worth the effort.

“Seeing all of the kids come out here is the best part,” said Thomas, a senior at North Gwinnett High School. “I’m definitely going to enjoy it when I have my kids and I can tell them I raised these trees since I was 12.”

Tom McConnell, the resident ham who wears a Santa hat and dispenses candy canes to visitors, said having the farm has changed the way his family sees the holiday season.

"It gives me a better feeling about Christmas, makes it seem even more of a special time to see all the families and kids out here," he said as his son helped a family carry their freshly cut tree to their car."We want to nurture the idea that this experience is something special, to not rush through the holiday season."

Having the farm allows them to talk to others about nature and land preservation, said the elder McConnell, who is retired from the construction business.

"We encourage homeowners to get into land conservation and to get their kids involved and have them enjoy something that is worthwhile," he said.

The McConnells are among few in their area offering a cut-your-own tree experience, which is why the Shively family brought their sons to this suburban lot on a recent Sunday.

“We come for the memories for our boys – they said they wanted to go back to where we cut our own tree last year,” said Michelle Shively as her husband, Doug, sawed down a nearly 8-feet-tall Leyland. “If not, we’d have to go to North Georgia.”

The families who selected their own fresh Leyland said there's a certain magic in walking among six, seven, nine or 11-foot trees, narrowing them down by the right size and feel, letting a child pick a favorite and then hauling it home atop their car. A magic that Vanessa Collins, of Suwanee, hopes to share with her family.

“This is the first time I’ve selected a tree that’s still growing,” she said as her husband helped load their fresh cut. “If I had known that, I would’ve brought my grandsons with me. Maybe next year.”

IF YOU GO

McConnell Tree Farm, 3795 Smithtown Road, Suwanee. Open Monday through Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Closed for the season on Dec. 23. For details, call 770-945-7981.