PICS: Cork city's Christmas tree farm growing in popularity 

A CORK Christmas tree farm which has been selling Christmas trees for more than a decade on land that has been in the same family for a century said they have seen an uptick in visitors in recent years as word has spread about the local business.

Pat Lehane, at the helm of Castletreasure Christmas Trees, a forestry, Christmas tree and foliage production enterprise, said that in the countdown to Christmas it’s all hands on deck at the family-run farm.

Dozens of trees, he said, have already been bought by those keen to decorate early.

“A lot of people were saying that they got them early last year and that they kept very well,” Mr Lehane said, speaking to The Echo. “We leave the trees lying down for three or four days [after they have been cut] inside in the forest.

“We don’t know why but that actually seems to be very good for the tree… I think the sugars kind of settle down in the trees." 

Castletreasure Christmas Trees’ methods seem to be working, as the business has seen many customers returning and more new faces at the farm as the years go on.

“Very few people actually knew that there was a Christmas tree farm actually in the city but the word is out there more now and it’s a bit of a novelty for people that they can go up and wander for a while,” Mr Lehane said.

While most people opt for a pre-cut tree, customers also have the opportunity to cut down their own tree at the Douglas farm.

“Few of them get through it but it’s nice to attempt it anyway,” Mr Lehane said of the would-be lumberjacks.

For every tree cut at the farm, he said another one is replanted within a month.

“The ones we’re growing now will be available in eight years’ time so we’re hoping the market will still be there in eight years’ time!” 

This year the family is marking a significant milestone.

“This year we’re actually 100 years on the farm. My grandfather bought the farm in 1922. 

"It’s a nice milestone for us really,” Mr Lehane said. 

“He bought the farm because he was living in the city and he lost some children with the great flu that time, that was the last bad pandemic, so he thought the air out in Castletreasure was a lot healthier than it was inside in the city. We’re farming there since.” 

Castletreasure Christmas Tree Farm is open seven days a week from 12pm to 7pm Monday to Friday and from 9am to 7pm on the weekends.