A family tradition, one tree at a time.
Cut Your Own Christmas Tree
Bundle up the kids, find a farm, and let everybody vote on the tree. There's sawing, there's cocoa, there might be a hayride, and there's always the drive home with a tree tied on the roof.
Where are you headed?
17 Ohio farms' own websites print 2026 plans so far, and 6 have posted a dated 2026 schedule. Every detail we show is quoted from the farm's own website, and we say when a farm's page doesn't print the year.
More states are coming. We add a state only once its farms have been checked one by one.
Choose it, cut it, take it home
At a choose-and-cut farm (also called cut-your-own or u-cut), you walk or ride a wagon out into the fields, pick a growing tree and cut it down yourself. Some farms will cut it for you. A pre-cut lot sells trees that were already harvested, often shipped in from another state. Many farms do both, with a barn or tent of pre-cut trees next to the fields. On a farm, ask which varieties are growing in the fields. The pre-cut selection is often different.
When the fields open
Most farms open the day after Thanksgiving. In 2026 that is Friday, November 27. A few open the weekend before, and some run "tagging" days in October or November so you can reserve a tree early and cut it later. Many farms close by mid-December or when the tallest trees sell out, and weekday hours are often short. Hours change every year, so check the farm's own site or call before you go.
Finding the one
- Measure first. Measure your ceiling height and subtract the height of your stand and topper. Field trees look smaller outdoors than they will in your living room.
- Check the doorway. A wide tree has to fit through your front door and in your car or truck.
- Walk all the way around. Look for a full shape on every side you will see and a reasonably straight trunk.
- Look at the base. You need a few inches of bare trunk to fit the stand. Many farms will trim lower branches for you.
- Know the varieties. Firs (Fraser, Canaan, Concolor) tend to hold needles well and have softer needles. Spruces have stiff branches for heavy ornaments but sharper needles. Pines have long soft needles.
How tall a tree fits?
Look for a tree no taller than
That's your ceiling minus the stand and the topper. Trees look smaller out in the field than they will in your living room, so trust the tape.
Load up the car
Small farms run on cash and good boots. Tick things off as you load the car. Many farms supply saws, and many ban power saws, so leave the chainsaw at home.
Tree-finding checklist
Tie it on and head home
Most farms will shake loose needles out and bale (net) the tree, which makes it far easier to carry and tie down. On a roof rack or bare roof, lay the tree with the trunk pointing forward, so the wind doesn't open the branches. Tie it to the rack or through the open doors, not the windows. At home, make a fresh cut if the tree has been out of water for more than a few hours. Then get it into a stand full of water right away and keep the stand full.
Make it yours
Make it a tradition
- Take the same photo every year. Kids lined up next to the tree before it comes down. Put the photos side by side and watch the kids catch up to the trees.
- Save a trunk slice. When you make the fresh cut at home, cut one thin extra round. Write the year, the farm and the tree's height on it, and hang it on next year's tree.
- Pass the final say around. A different family member gets the last word on the tree each year.
Ready? Start with Ohio
Our Ohio Christmas tree farm directory covers all five regions. Filter by region, or show only farms whose own sites print 2026 dates. You can also enter a ZIP code and date to see which nearby choose-and-cut farms have posted that they will be open.
Plan your tree trip