Barnaby MacFie works in the family business Frenchay Forestry which is now in its 40th year and has four sites across Bristol. He has started the early harvest at their main Mendip Christmas Tree Farm near Shepton Mallet, Somerset.
With over 30 acres of Christmas tree plantation and an additional 70 acres of Beech woodland in the Mendips, this enterprising forestry business is growing around 40,000 Christmas trees.
Already he says the phone has been “ringing off the hook” with customers wanting to start Christmas early, although Covid restrictions mean that whole families (from different households) won’t be able to enjoy the experience of picking their own this year.
Barnaby said: “We have families who come year after year and we have one family with four generations that would usually come, it’s sad that they won’t be able to do that this year because under current guidelines, only one household is currently allowed to attend.
“But we are doing new things to make it easier for people to buy their Christmas trees. We have set up a new online shop this year and that’s taking off. We are already getting orders and we will do click and collect. We are opening earlier this year on November 23 instead of opening on the last weekend in November. People are asking when they can get their trees, they want to start Christmas early this year – I have already delivered a tree on November 9 which is unusual. I think we have to be ready for a whole different way of doing Christmas this year!”
https://frenchayforestry.co.uk/
https://www.mendipchristmastrees.co.uk/
BCTGA loves – this section on Mendip Christmas Trees website which helps customers choose their perfect Christmas tree: https://www.mendipchristmastrees.co.uk/find-your-tree/
The BCTGA represents Christmas tree growers in the UK, to find details on your nearerest grower please see https://bctga.co.uk/onlinedirectory