“Wow. That sounds cool. Looks like you found your own way of making things more efficient.” Dasher runs around, playing. His tongue eats up the snow as Levi tells him to stop it.
“Yeah, but we still try to keep the tree-picking experience as authentic as possible, too. It’s why we offer axes for people who want to chop it manually. Makes it like it was back in the day when the farm first opened. I honestly think that’s why we’ve been so successful over the decades.”
I open the notepad app on my phone and jot down a few things. “I can quote you on whatever you say about this place, correct?”
He nods. “Absolutely.”
We make our way down a well-maintained trail until we arrive at a live tree section. I notice how many stumps there are—hundreds—just in this small area.
“Are there other farms like this around here?” I ask.
“Next one is about a hundred miles, but it’s not even close to our magnitude. Coming here has become a tradition for many families, and people drive from all around to visit. Apparently, it’s an influencer favorite too. My sister runs our social media. I’ll ask her what hashtags they’re using. I don’t pay much attention to it, and things are always changing.”
“If you could get that info for me, that would be great. I’ll have to do more research and see what I find.” I continue typing on my phone, noting to look that up.
Once we reach the end of the long row, a teenage girl on a four-wheeler passes us and waves. I’m actually shocked at how many people are out here, considering Christmas is in less than two weeks.
“Is it typical for trees to be purchased this late in the season?”
“Oh yeah. We stay open through December twenty-third, and we’ll be this busy until the minute we close. Then I have some time off and won’t work again until after the new year.”
“Really? What do you plan on doing?” Dasher doesn’t leave my side.
He arches a brow. “I dunno how to break this to you, Fallon. I’m Santa and have to travel around the world to deliver gifts.”
I chuckle. “You’re ridiculous.”
“And you’re on the naughty list.”
It’s impossible for me to hold back my smile. “Sounds like you’ve got me all figured out, Levi.”
“Oh, I know I do,” he confidently says, picking up a stick and tossing it for Dasher, who bolts after it.
“When does the season start?”
“We work year-round. From late February to mid-April, we plant seedlings to regenerate the trees we cut. But tourist season ramps up in mid-October when we begin shipping trees to our wholesalers around the country. We open to the public on November first and work our asses off for eight weeks straight. We make enough money to keep the farm running throughout the year while we’re doing farm maintenance, replanting, and shearing. A lot goes into it. The shop has been my mom’s passion project for decades and now stays open year-round. And yes, the theme is Christmas all the time.”
“This doesn’t surprise me.” I continue asking as many questions as I can. “How long does it take a tree to get to this size?” We pass one that’s taller than me.
“About seven to eight years.”
“Wow. And how long has this farm been here?”
Levi chuckles at my amazement. “About a hundred and twenty-three years.”
“That’s really…impressive.”
“Yeah, you could say my love for Christmas has been passed down through the generations.”
“Guess that explains all the decorations in your house,” I add.
“Absolutely. We don’t ever get rid of ornaments. But what’s cool about the town is how the surrounding farms have become a part of the local culture. We bring in a lot of tourists around the holidays. My best friend's family’s apple orchard celebrated its centennial last year, and it was a huge deal.”
“Really? Will I be able to see it?”
“Yeah. I can set something up with Finn’s grandma, Willa. I think you’ll like her a lot. Then I can introduce you to him and his girlfriend, Oakley.”
“That sounds perfect.” I appreciate his help and him sharing all this knowledge with me. When I finally meet his blue eyes, butterflies swarm in my stomach. I turn my head, breaking the electrical current streaming between us.