Christmas Tree Farm A Familly Affair
For Jon and Charity Keith, Christmas is a day they work toward yearround.
The Keiths own and operate Ozark Valley Christmas Tree Farm northeast of Southwest City. The property has been in Charity’s family since the 1800s and has been farmed religiously since. But, it is only in the past five years that the family has grown Christmas trees.
As spring appears through the snowy ground, the two take to the fields and plant seedlings. The seedlings begin as sprouts that measure up to 18 inches tall.
According to Jon, between 800 and 1,200 seedlings are planted each year. Approximately 600 are harvested.
“Nature will take some, deer will eat some,” Jon said. “And any we don’t harvest will just be bigger trees next year.”
Guests at the farm are first directed to the Christmas Cottage, where they can browse local preserves, handmade primitives, and a variety of seasonal decorations. There is also a Kid’s Corner, where youth can
make a craft, take a picture in Santa’s Sleigh, or ride the reindeer train.
At the register, guests are given a numbered ticket and directed to a hayride that will make the scenic journey to the field.
When visitors arrive, sprawling hills host lines of evergreens as far as the eye can see. Scotch pines dominate, but there are also white pines and Frasier firs, which can be purchased pre-cut at the Christmas Cottage.
A display of bow saws and a parking lot of wheelbarrows greet visitors as soon as they get off the wagon.
From here, families are encouraged to peruse the property — in search of the perfect tree. Trees come in all shapes, sizes, and price ranges – from single digit to triple digits.
After the tree has been cut, staff will shake, net, and secure the tree to the guest’s car or truck.
The Keiths are very active in the community and advocate a strong sense of civic pride. Each year they use a portion of the proceeds from sales to support initiatives that are dear to their hearts.
Recently, they’ve teamed up with the Christmas Spirit Foundation’s “Trees for Troops” program, which provides Christmas trees for military families stationed in the USA and overseas.
They also donate a portion of the revenue from wreath sales to the Anne Croxdale Memorial Library in Southwest City, to be used towards the purchase of more books for the children’s room.
Ozark Valley Christmas Tree Farm is located at 1090 Manning Road in Southwest City. They are open 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.
Family photos are also available. Each Saturday, from noon to 4 p.m., and Sunday, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Michele Pyle from Capture the Moment Photography will be on-site to help capture the perfect family picture for the holiday season.
The farm’s website is ozarkvalleychristmas.com.