On 2 Jan 2004 11:59:56 -0800, (Dish) wrote:

Hi, we're considering buying a few acres of land, and there is a grove
that has rows of pine trees (over 600) on the property that a previous
owner planted. They refer to it as a tree farm, even though the
property has not been used as a tree farm (the current owners are not
selling trees, and I don't think they ever have). This is in the
midwest.

I would prefer open land to rows of pine trees, so i've been
considering a couple options: 1) selling them in November/December as
Christmas trees ($20-$30 each), but when people cut them down i'll be
left with all the stumps in the ground, 2) selling the whole trees
with the root ball, etc. ($40-$50 each?)to landscapers, garden
centers, or straight to the public (but i'm not interested in starting
a business - much too busy), or 3) trying to find the time to run a
tree farm and selling trees myself and planting new ones, etc. -
although i'm sure there are countless tree farms already.
If they are really pine trees (posting photos will help identify them)
they are not good Christmas tree candidates. Most Christmas trees are
firs, balsam or fraser being the most popular.

What is more, if they have been neglected for a few years they will be
out of shape and difficult to bring back. People can buy "perfect"
Christmas trees today and will not settle for less.

The same goes for landscape trees, no one wants pines and the trees
they do want have to be a perfect shape.
JMHO

John