I grew up with the tradition and it is now my most cherished December activity with my family. For the Nenonens, a visit to the tree farm officially kicks off the holiday season!
Over 17+ years of marriage, Steve and I have visited almost EVERY tree farm within a 2 hour radius of St. Louis, I kid you not. That being said, we have never found a farm that we felt compelled to revisit year after year. Often times, area farms boast WAY overpriced trees with little variety and overwhelming crowds. In addition, they are often located in remote rural areas with roads difficult to navigate in less than ideal weather.
In 2009, we found the perfect tree farm per the recommendation of a friend...
... and now return every year.
Meert's Tree Farm and Nursery is located in Festus, approximately 1 hour outside of St. Louis off of Highway 55. It boasts a lovely setting, an excellent layout, timely shuttles to the fields, a cute little shop, holiday goodies like hot cocoa, custom wreaths and greenery, and excellent tree variety.
I would say that the shaping of the trees is perhaps not as pristine as other area farms we have visited, which can equate to a slightly longer search for "the one". That being said, they offer far more types of trees to cut fresh than the traditional pine. In fact, we found the perfect spruce for only $7/linear foot. It is full, lush, and smells AMAZING in our living room! NOTE: if searching for a very LARGE tree- THIS IS THE PLACE! Their fields made me dream of a room with vaulted ceilings.
A peek at the 2014 fun...
You can also see a fun little video of our day HERE.
The older the boys get (now in 7th and 10th grade), the more I grasp on tightly to our annual holiday traditions. If seeking holiday fun, I highly recommend a visit to Meert's! Wonderful day, friendly people.
In addition, due to the Highway 55 location, it only makes sense to hit Historic Kimmswick on the way home. We always stop and stroll through all of the adorable holiday shops in Kimmswick after lunch at the famous Blue Owl- home of the famous mile-high levee pie.
NITTY GRITTY:
Meert's Tree Farm and Nursery
4560 Dry Fork Rd, Festus, MO 63028
636.931.3901
Open Daily from 9-4
Web: http://albesm.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Meert-Tree-Farm/208775665860518
See my other "Hidden Gems" HERE.
