Tis' the season: Boyd Mountain Christmas Tree Farm
Boyd Mountain Christmas Tree Farm.
White Fox Studios photo
Normally, when I’m interviewing storied Haywood County musician Darren Nicholson, we’d be talking either about an upcoming gig of his or a new album coming down the pipeline. But, today, we’re talking all things Christmas trees.
“Well, the beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” Nicholson tells me when I ask him about how to pick out the perfect tree for the holidays.
“It depends on what your house is, too. Some people have a certain corner that they put [the tree] in, so they’re looking for a skinny tree. And then, some people like a real full tree.”
You see, for the last 15 years or so, Nicholson has happily spent his free time during the holiday season working at the Boyd Mountain Christmas Tree Farm in Waynesville. An iconic Western North Carolina business, the farm is located on a 175-acre property in the Jonathan Creek area of Haywood County. To note, the company celebrated its 25th anniversary last year.
“I’ve done a little bit of everything here — from doing media [interviews] to tagging trees, working on the farm to going up in the field and cutting them down myself,” Nicholson chuckled.
The farm property itself has been part of the Boyd family for well over a century. In 1984, Dan Boyd, who was “a local dentist with a passion for the outdoors,” had a real interest in Fraser fir trees. He decided to plant some seedlings on the old homestead, a hobby of his that eventually parlayed itself into a choose-and-cut family business that’s now become a tradition for countless families from Western North Carolina and beyond, with some customers coming all the way from Kansas and South Florida.
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“It’s the vibe of getting into the holiday spirit,” Nicholson said. “There’s just such an energy there. It’s a really magical place. There’s something that’s so serene about that property.”
This annual gathering of the Boyd family and their close friends has become something of a true sense of pride for all involved, either dealing with customers directly on the farm or simply working hard behind-the-scenes. According to Nicholson, he estimates the farm sells upwards of 6,500 trees each season, with countless more dotting the property, ready for next year.
“It’s a group of friends and family that have been doing this for a lot of years,” Nicholson said with a humbled tone. “And it never stops.”
Beyond the choose-and-cut, the farm also has regular appearances from Santa Claus, offers hot chocolate to customers to warm up on those snowy days in search of the perfect tree and sets up a sleigh for folks to hop into and snap that photograph that’ll be placed on the fridge or sent in a Christmas card.
“We don’t just sell Christmas trees, we sell a memory, you know?” Nicholson said. “It’s no secret that people can buy Christmas trees at a lot of places, but the people who come to Boyd Mountain come because it’s an event here, [one] where they spend the whole day — we’re selling an experience.”
So, why the Fraser fir?
“It’s the Cadillac of Christmas trees,” Nicholson said. “It’s the one tree that has that really amazing evergreen smell. And it has the rubbery [needles and limbs] that are resilient and perfect for holding ornaments. The kicker is it’s the most resilient — after you cut it fresh, it will stay green for a long time.”
As Nicholson and the Boyd Mountain crew ready themselves for opening day of the Christmas tree season on the farm (Nov. 20), he can’t help but hold a deep sense of gratitude. For not only the memories being created on the property, but also the continued healing of folks from near and far following Hurricane Helene last fall, which disrupted the holiday season for many.
“The holidays are about love and community, that time [each year] of reflection and gratitude,” Nicholson said. “It’s not just about getting a tree, it’s about all the other things that happen when you come to Western North Carolina — you’re supporting community, and that’s a wonderful thing.”
Art of Music Festival
A renowned Americana/bluegrass outfit, the Darren Nicholson Band will be one of the performers appearing at the Balsam Range Art of Music Festival Dec. 4-6 at the Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center.
Darren Nicholson. File photo
A regular for years on the Grand Ole Opry and a founding member of acclaimed bluegrass group Balsam Range, Nicholson now spends his time recording, writing new songs and performing as a solo act.
Other acts featured during the holiday celebration will include Darrell Scott, Russell Moore, The Cleverlys, Atlanta Pops Orchestra Ensemble, Upstream Rebellion and the Studio Dream-Team Band.
For more information, a full schedule of events and daytime workshops or to purchase tickets, visit balsamrangeartofmusicfestival.com.
Need a tree?
Located on Boyd Farm Road in Waynesville, opening day of the Boyd Mountain Christmas Tree Farm will be Thursday, Nov. 20.
Sales will run through the holiday season. Santa will visit on select dates. Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. As well, there are also vacation rental cabins onsite.
For more information, call 828.926.8888 or visit boydmountainchristmastreefarm.com.
