Family Farm Offers U-cut Christmas Trees

Tim and Jennifer Austen have been inviting the public to their farm for u-cut Christmas trees for the last six years — but the story of Austens’ Farm begins long before that, when Tim’s parents, Don and Anita Austen, originally bought the property in 1962. With Don’s new job as a teacher and guidance counselor at Canby High School, growing trees was the ideal agricultural venture, as it requires monthly and seasonal maintenance versus daily chores. Their two oldest sons were teenagers at the time and used money from their savings accounts to purchase the first seedlings. Little did they know they were planting the roots of a Christmas tradition that would last generations! Once that first crop was ready, everyone pitched in and greeted customers, offered hot cocoa, and sold trees.

The business shifted in 1986, when Tim and a business partner purchased the farm from Anita after Don passed. After that, they sold exclusively wholesale because both had full-time jobs and couldn’t dedicate extra time during the Christmas season. Tim and Jennifer bought out the partner’s half in the early 2000s, when they were starting their own family, and in 2019, they reopened the farm to the community. “Many other local u-cut farms had gone out of business,” Jennifer recalls. “We decided to offer that service and provide a new place for people to bring their families for a holiday experience.”

Austens’ Farm grows the full gamut of tree species, from traditional Douglas Firs to Noble, Grand Firs, and Nordmann Fir varieties, sought after for their sturdy branches and superior needle retention. It’s taken time to transition the farm from the wholesale market. “This summer, we cleared out four acres of timber, all for planting trees, so we’ll have an even larger selection in the future,” Jennifer says. “The growth rates vary — Douglas Firs grow about a foot per year, Grands are slightly slower, and Nobles and Nordmann gain a foot of height in about two years. So trees are a long-term commitment, and we have cared for each tree for quite some time before they are chosen for a seasonal decoration.”

Hunting for the perfect Christmas tree is one of the most treasured family traditions of the year, so take your time perusing the fields — it can get a little muddy on rainy days, so weatherproof boots are recommended! Austens’ provides bow saws for cutting down your find, but the friendly staff is happy to assist with all steps of the process as needed, including hauling your tree to the landing area and loading it into your vehicle. Baling is available for a $2 fee, and the farm also has a netter, which is free of charge and works for trees up to 7 feet tall. It contains the branches, just not as compactly as the baling machine. The baling fee allows Austens’ to keep their overall prices lower: Douglas Firs are sold at just $6 per foot, Grand Firs at $12 per foot and Noble and Nordmann Firs at $13 per foot.

Just as Don and Anita did many years ago, the Austens offer free hot cocoa and apple cider to their customers, as well as candy canes for the children. All are welcome to warm their hands around the roaring fire at the tree landing zone, where Tim also stocks a handful of pre-cut trees for those who don’t wish to go on an adventure. The family has added a gift shop featuring locally-sourced and handmade items for sale, including paint-by-number kits created by Tim’s niece, Rachel Austen, and merchandise made by Jennifer’s dad through his woodworking hobby. And don’t forget to pick up one of Jennifer’s beautiful wreaths! Starting on Halloween, she makes about a dozen different varieties of bows. Wreaths are displayed with bows already affixed, or customers can choose their desired wreath and specific bow and color combination.

The smiling faces you’ll see working at Austens’ are all family and friends. Tim and Jennifer’s two children help to hire about two dozen teenagers and young adults each season. “I’ve affectionately deemed them our HR consultants,” Jennifer says with a laugh. Her mom also comes on weekends, and loves chatting with returning customers in the gift shop while keeping the wreaths and hot water for cocoa and cider stocked. Her stepdad helps outside with processing trees and keeping the fire stoked.

Austens’ Farm is open now through December 21st, every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. — or daylight hours, which change slightly during the month. Whether you’re a regular customer or visiting for the first time this year, the Austen family is thrilled to welcome everyone to the farm.“The holidays provide a time to reconnect, visit, and see how much the children (and grandchildren!) have grown,” Jennifer says. “It is important to us that each person who visits our farm knows that we are so grateful they're here. Our business works only because of their faithful patronage.”

Austens’ Farm is located at 13173 S Spangler Rd in Oregon City. Please give them a call at (503) 989-0787 or visit their Facebook page for more information.