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Christmas 2019 is done, and the tree farm is having its time of rest. So what do we do now? Well, for the months of January through March we have a nice breather. The boys and I spend a lot of time walking through the trees all winter. We watch for damage from rodents or deer, keep an eye on how last year’s newly planted trees are faring, and enjoy the slower pace.

Come March, though, stump grinding begins in earnest. All those trees you are enjoying now left behind stumps that need to be ground down before the mowers start up.

Until then, we will just enjoy the snowy days.

Have a wonderful 2020!

Wreath and porch pots classes are underway, and we are getting ready for our opening weekend right after Thanksgiving! There will be horses pulling wagons, a tractor with hayrides, hot cider, coffee and cookies for all to enjoy!

We will be open every Friday through Sunday from Thanksgiving through Christmas, but give us a call if you need anything during our off days. We will be happy to assist you with your Christmas needs!

Here on the tree farm, work is winding down. Mowing is almost over, and the trees are all trimmed up into Christmas tree shapes.

September is well underway, a new school year has begun again, and it’s sweatshirt weather… at least when you first step foot out in the morning.

This is the perfect time for field trips, and we have a few planned already! A Beekeeping class is scheduled later this month for a homeschool group, and we plan to open one up for the public soon, as well. Also, a boy scout troop is planning an outing for tree identification. What better place than a tree farm?

Another class I will be opening up for scheduling soon is our popular wreath making class. After November first, we begin harvesting greens for wreath making. We have classes available for groups of 6-8 ladies, or guys if they would like to join in. I plan on having a reserve list for folks who would like to participate, but don’t want to get a bunch of friends together. That way if there’s a cancellation in a group, there are backup participants ready to keep the class size up. Message me on our Facebook page if you want to get in on the list!

Also, contact us if you have need of a good field trip destination. We are flexible and can accommodate most nature subjects and grade levels.

Have a wonderful Summer’s End!

Our opening weekend was a blast, mud and all! Now we are open every Friday through Sunday till Christmas, so stop out and make memories at The Evergreens. We have beautiful pre- cut frasers from 6-12 feet, and cut your own trees available.
Hot cider, coffee and cookies are ready for you!

It’s November already, which means all things family, friends, food and fellowship. With Thanksgiving then Christmas and all of the gatherings with loved ones, it really can be the most wonderful time of the year.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with chaos, too, so remember to take time to enjoy the little things and the quiet moments. Soak up the scent of evergreens and fresh baked goods. Listen to your favorite music. Snuggle a little person while sipping tea and honey together, and try to get out to experience these crisp, late autumn days.
At The Evergreens, we are cramming to get ready for our opening weekend, right after Thanksgiving. It’s the perfect time to come on over and enjoy family and friends. We will have the horses and tractor going to pull hay wagons and buggies. A barrel train will be tootling around for little ones to ride. I’ll have the fun photo props set up in our backyard. There will be delicious cider and cookies, and hot coffee from The Interchange. And the best part is that it’s all free!
We will have trees and gifts for sale, of course, but you are welcome to come over and just enjoy the activities.
Our wreath making classes filled up quickly this fall, and we held the first class Nov 2nd. It’s proving to be a perfect girls’ night out activity. If you are interested for next year, be sure to like our Facebook page to keep up on the latest announcements.
Have a wonderful, safe and memorable holiday season! We look forward to seeing you.
The Tenneson Family

Summer is almost ended, and our busy tree shearing is nearly done. September colors are showing off prettily as we work and play in the evergreens.
We have been busy with classes on and off throughout the summer… Beekeeping, Seeds and Dispersal, Women’s Self Defense, and more. Coming up, we have a couple more bee classes, another self defense class and some cub scouts for a nature hike. These activities are so fun for us, as we see the community being able to use our farm for family learning adventures. It’s been a dream come true, and we are grateful.
We have some news to share soon that should open up even more opportunities for family fun and events to enjoy. I’ll be sure to keep you in the loop as things progress.
Enjoy these first weeks of the school year, and soak up the beauty of autumn and all it brings.
Looking forward to seeing you in a couple of months as the Christmas season begins!

On the last day of January we have a class coming out for a field trip to study animal tracking. Actually, they will be learning some new skills on how to recognize signs of wildlife during the winter months, and hopefully be on track to start a lifetime of nature journaling.  Along with the hike, we will be doing a craft and warming up with some hot cider.

At The Evergreens, we don’t want to focus entirely on the Christmas season and trees, but our goal is to offer family friendly events throughout the year as well as small group classes and field trips.

Contact us if you are looking for an opportunity to bring 10 – 15 children out for a fun learning experience, or if you have any suggestions for a small class for adults. We have offered wreath making classes, and are looking to book a class on snowshoe making.

For more information, call us at 507-391-0757

 

Thanks to all of you who helped to make our first season at the tree farm such a memorable one! We have so many amazing memories and new acquaintances that have enriched our lives. We look ahead to 2018, and hopefully lots and lots of baby trees.

The Evergreens plans to have a fresh produce stand available for you to drive up and access during the gardening season. Fresh baked goods may also make frequent appearances in the stand, so you will have to watch our Facebook page for updates on availability.

There are also going to be opportunities for small groups of children to come out for field trip experiences year round. These are perfect for scout, home school, birthday party, or 4-H outings. Groups of 10-15 make the perfect size for a quality experience at the farm. Jamie spent 14 years as a volunteer naturalist at a local nature center, so you have many topics to chose from for your outing. Give us a call to see what would be a good fit for the ages you plan to bring, and we will do our very best to make a super fun outing for you!

We still have some beautiful, Minnesota made mugs, so let us know if you need one. They really are the best quality, and make your hot beverages taste better than usual.

Happy New Year, from our family to yours!

John, Jamie, William, Friederich, Reuben, Noah, Joel, Thane and Clay Tenneson

The day was blustery and cold, but brave students still trooped in to learn about what it takes to run a Christmas tree farm. Beginning inside and out of the wind, we went over what makes a tree a tree, how a tree grows, and the difference between deciduous and coniferous trees. Then everyone braved the elements to wander through the groves and try their hand at Christmas tree identification. The students did a great job at finding the differences between the tree species and making correct identifications.

The fun concluded inside again where warm apple cider thawed us out enough to make grapevine wreaths. Each family went home with a beautiful and original wreath, made just perfectly for their home. Hopefully each “nature wreath” will get filled and grow in beauty as the students find natural items to continue adding to the wreaths’ arrangements.

If you are interested in a small group field trip, contact us and we will do our best to work with you to make a fun and educational experience.

Photo credit to Russell’s Adventures 

As of May 29, 2017, we officially moved into our new home at The Evergreens. For four months we have been attempting to learn all that we can to keep the established Christmas tree business going, as well as working through finishing touches on our new pole shed house.

We are all more tan than we have ever been in our lives, thanks to the days spent with mowers, weed whips and shearing tools. Thankfully most of the trees are still alive and thriving despite our rookie status as farmers. We lost a few to weed whip learning curves, but most of the trees are beautiful and ready for a new homes this Christmas season.

Summer growing and upkeep is winding down, and the creative time of crafting and organizing is starting up. We are hoping to have a small gift shop up and running for opening day on November 24th. Wreaths are in the works, Minnesota crafted mugs are ordered through Deneen Pottery,  and there are a lot more fun things being planned to make for an interesting assortment of gift ideas.

We hope to see you during the four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Have a wonderful autumn with your families until then!

The Tenneson Family