By Cathy Miller

For the Wyckoff Farm, the Christmas season officially kicks off today!

With an official opening on “Black Friday,” November 26, owner John Wyckoff expects it to be a very good season, based on the many phone calls he’s received from new customers. He assures shoppers there is no shortage of trees, “There are plenty of trees out there, buyers just might not get the exact species or size they are used to.” Currently, there are 65 acres of Christmas trees in production, either cut-your-own or fresh-cut.

The Wyckoff Farm has a long history in Warren County.

At 182 years old, The Wyckoff Farm has been family-owned since 1839, when Simon Wyckoff purchased 172 acres in White Township. The property has remained in the family ever since and is now known as Wyckoff’s Christmas Tree Farm, LLC.

In 1958 John W. Wyckoff Sr. began planting Christmas trees with his son, John W. Jr., 14 years old. They planted 1,000 Norway Spruce seedlings, with annual plantings, including pine and fir, to follow.

In 1967, the first eight trees were harvested. Two were decorated and stood in the two Wyckoff family homes on the farm, and six were sold for five dollars each.

By 1970, the sale of trees grew so much that father John Sr. and son John Jr. eventually became full-time Christmas tree farmers and expanded to “cut your own,” where trees were sold directly from the field.

The Wyckoff family has won many awards over the years. In 2013, Wyckoff’s Christmas Tree Farm was named National Christmas Tree Association Grand Champion Grower, and was honored to present the Blue Room Christmas tree to the White House.

Wyckoff Christmas Tree Farm was named the 2019 National Christmas Tree Association Reserve Grand Champion Grower and provided a Christmas tree for the Vice President’s home in Washington, D.C.

Utilizing a specialty colorant, Wyckoff’s Christmas Tree Farm is New Jersey’s original colored tree farm, with hues ranging from pink to purple, black to white, and shades of blue or red.

In addition to thousands of trees from which to choose, Wyckoff’s Christmas Barn offers a large selection of fresh wreaths and greens, and a tantalizing array of decorating and gift items. The onsite wreath-making team (about six women) began work on November 15 and will continue until the second week in December. According to Denise Collier, of Belvidere, “First we decorate the Christmas Barn, then we create wreaths, grave blankets, grave boxes, primarily from our own cuttings.”

Wyckoff’s Christmas Tree Farm, 246 County Road 519, Belvidere, NJ 07823
908-475-4508; www.wyckoffs.com.