Woodford Christmas tree farm grows from festive idea

For the past four years, Gavin and Laura Prentice have been growing and pruning hundreds of Christmas trees on their property after a friend suggested the idea.

"There's a fair bit of pruning involved. It's kind of topiary on a grand scale," he said.

"We just learn a little bit more each year about what's required to get them looking really good."

Mr Prentice uses a specialised brush knife - or Christmas tree pruning knife - to shape them and even dons his cricket pads to protect his shins while he's doing it.

Along with the pruning and shaping, the couple said it also involved a fair bit of "precision mowing".

They have planted about 1000 Christmas trees on their property, including the seedlings that have only been in since July.

But it takes three to four years to to grow to a standard Christmas tree size, so this year they only have a couple of hundred trees in different sizes ready for lounge rooms across the south-west.

"You choose your own tree, we'll cut it for you," Mrs Prentice said.

Mr Prentice said when the tree was cut down the root system break down in the soil rather than regrowing.

"We'd like to think that we might improve the soil over time by leaving all the carbon in the soil of that root system," he said.

"It's good fun for our kids as well.

"We played a lot of Christmas tree tiggy in here during lockdown."

Mr Prentice said when families came out to pick their trees last weekend, kids were jumping out of the cars and saying: "'wow, can I run through there?".

He said because COVID-19 restrictions were still in play in the lead up to last Christmas, they only ran a small-scale trial delivering custom orders.

"There was still little bit of fear about COVID so we didn't sell direct. This time it's come and pick your own tree, have a wander," he said.

The farm at 125 Plummers Hill Road is open Saturdays and Sundays between noon and 8pm. Trees range from $70 to $100, depending on size.

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