Cut Your Own Christmas Tree Farms on Long Island

Grab your gloves, your ropes, your coat and go find the perfect Christmas Tree! An expedition to a Christmas Tree Farm is fun for the whole family. Never done it before? Don't worry, most of the farms I visited will cheerfully lend you a helping hand every step of the way. 

The farms in this roundup are open and ready for business and have a wide selection of trees - I checked! But it is always wise to call ahead to be sure inclement weather or unexpected crowds have not depleted the stock. This is especially important if you want a tree more than eight feet tall, if you are looking for a particular type of conifer, or if you are shopping close to Christmas. Happy tree hunting!

If you are new to this tradition, as I was, here are some things you should know:

1. Tough washable or disposable GLOVES are essential for handling your prickly, possibly sap covered tree
    
2.  Bring ROPE or bungee cords to tie your tree to your roof.  Some farms provide this but they can run out. Other farms assume you have your own. 
    
3. INSPECT your tree for residents.  Spiders and field mice may consider your tree home.  Shaking your tree vigorously after cutting will dislodge them.  Some farms have mechanical SHAKERS which do the job for you and are very amusing to watch.
    
4. CUT your tree as close to the ground as possible.  You will want a long trunk so that you can make a second fresh cut when you get your tree home.
    
5. Bring CASH or checks, most if not all of these farms will not accept credit cards.
    
6. Unless noted, all of the farms had at least one chemical toilet.

Shamrock Christmas Tree Farm
20685 Main Road


Mattituck

(631) 298-4619
Open daily from 9AM-5pm until 12/24
Santa visits Saturdays and Sundays 12-5PM
New this year, wine tastings by Peliigrini Vineyards 12-4
Shamrock Farm was delightful and very well run with plenty of friendly helpers.  You can borrow a saw and cut your own 4' to 10' Douglas and Fraser Firs and Hybrid Balsams or choose and they will cut it for you at no extra charge.  You and your tree will be brought back to the entrance in a tractor drawn wagon. Your tree will be placed on a mechanical shaker to fluff it and remove any unwanted critters.  Then they'll wrap it up and help you tie it to your car.  All field cut trees are $65 before tax. The farm also offers live and precut trees, a refreshment stand, an antique sleigh collection, and a shop with holiday greens and a wide array of Christmas tree ornaments.

On weekends board the train, the Shamrock Express for a ride around the farm or sit by the the cozy fire pit with a free hot chocolate and some popcorn.  Santa visits the farm on Saturdays and Sundays from 12pm to 5pm.  The farm is open daily from 9am to 5pm until Christmas Eve.  

Zuhoski Farm
11825 Oregon Road
Cutchogue
(631) 734 5036
Open Saturdays and Sundays from 9am until dusk, call first.
My daughter pronounced Zuhoski Farm "A very good place".  This relaxed and friendly multi-generational family run farm, tucked away amidst the fields just North of Route 48, has an abundance of healthy Douglas Fir and Blue Spruce trees.  You can cut your own with your saw or theirs, or they will be happy to help you at every step of the way from field to car.  Transportation around the farm is by tractor-pulled hayride. After cutting your tree, relax in a chair around their cheerfully blazing fire pit with a free cup of hot chocolate or cider and some popcorn or a candy cane. Dogs on leashes are welcome. The farm also sells lovely wreaths, centerpieces and kissing balls as well as fresh greenery and garlands.  Live trees, and pre-cut trees are available from the farm's roadside stand on Route 48 just east of Cox Lane. Field Douglas Fir trees are $60 up to 10 feet and Blue Spruce Trees are $75. The farm is open Saturdays and Sundays from 9am until dusk.  The farm often closes a few days before Christmas so call first in later December.

Santa’s Christmas Tree Farm

30105 Main Road

Cutchogue

(631) 734-8641
Open daily from 9am-5pm
Run by the Edson family since 1979, this farm was doing a brisk business when we drove past.  According to their website, all trees are $65 up to 8 feet and $8 per extra foot.  The farm is open daily from 9am to 5pm.

Darts Christmas Tree Farm

2355 Main Bayview Road


Southold

(631) 765-4148

Open daily from 9am-5pm until 12/24
Santa visits Saturday and Sunday 12pm-4pm
I did not have a chance to visit this three-generation family farm but they are well known on the East End and are very friendly on the phone. They offer cut-your-own Fraser and Douglas Firs for $89.95 regardless of height. There is a coupon for $5 available on their website.  They also sell decorative wreaths and garlands and abundant  refreshments.  Like most of the farms in this roundup they will help you cut, shake and carry your tree to your car.  The farm is open daily from 9am - 5pm until Christmas Eve.  On Saturdays and Sundays there are free hay rides and Santa visits from 12pm to 4pm.  Dogs are welcome.

Lewin Farm

812 Sound Avenue

Wading River

631-929-4327

The Tree Farm is located 1 ½ miles
further east at the Baiting Hollow Nursery
on Fresh Pond Avenue
Open daily from 9am-4:30pm until 12/24
Cars park all along Fresh Pond Avenue as families gather to take advantage of Lewin Farm's incredibly low prices: $30 for any field grown tree of any size regardless of whether you cut it yourself or buy a pre-cut tree.  Live trees are $50 and the prices include sales tax.  Douglas Fir and Blue Spruce are available. There is a $5 deposit for hand saws.   Large tractor drawn wagons carry groups of families and their cut trees from field to entrance where the trees are wrapped.  However you do have to carry your tree along the road to your car yourself and this could be quite tiring. There are no free refreshments but hot chocolate, popcorn, pretzels, soda and hot dogs may be purchased on site.  They are not cheap. Popcorn cost $3.  The farm is open daily from 8:30am - 4:30pm until Christmas Eve.  

Mike's Christmas Tree Farm

323 Weeks Avenue

Manorville

(631) 874-3551
Open daily 8am-4:30pm through 12/24

Matt's and Mike's tree farms have been combined and simplified. This is now a small farm stand nestled in acres of lovely Christmas trees. They don't offer refreshments or a Santa but they play Christmas carols and give you and your tree a ride around the farm in a tractor-drawn wagon. They will help you every step of the way. You can borrow a saw or let them cut your tree for you.  They will wrap it and help tie it to your car.  They also sell live trees, wreaths, garlands, gloves, and hand saws for making that fresh cut at home.  This is one of the only farms we found that sold Balsam pines.  Prices for Norway, White  and Blue Spruce, Balsam, Concolor Fir and Douglas Fir are $11 per foot. Colorado Blue Spruce is $16 per foot.  CASH only.  The farm is open daily 8am to 4:30pm through Christmas Eve. Dogs on leashes are welcome.

Elwood Christmas Tree Farm

1500 East Jericho Turnpike

Huntington

(631) 368-8626

Cut your own: Monday - Friday 3PM to dark
Precut tree lot: daily 10AM-dark
This farm is the westernmost cut-your-own tree farm on Long Island and thus ideal for families from the city who dread a long four-hour plus round trip to the East End. The farm grows Norway and White and Blue Spruce, Douglas Fir, and Scotch Pine. Although, we were able to borrow a saw last year, if you have one, bring it, to avoid waiting in line.  r Otherwise you can choose a tree and they will cut it, wrap it, and get it onto your car for you.  They also sell live trees and pre-cut trees as well as holiday wreaths and garlands.  Cut-your-own hours are Monday - Friday 3 pm to dark.  The precut tree lot is open daily from 10am to 8pm.  Prices vary depending on type and height.  The farm does not provide refreshments or restrooms but there are plenty of shops and restaurants on Route 25. 

Have fun!