The Peterson family loves being part of family traditions — and memories. As the owners of Peterson Farm in Flemington, John Peterson Jr., his son, Matthew, and grandson, Jake, have spent decades watching families select their perfect Christmas trees year after year.
“I’ve seen families coming out year after year as a tradition. People come as little kids and are still coming with their parents and bringing their own little kids,” says Jake Peterson, who now works alongside his father and grandfather to manage and operate the farm.
Peterson Farm dates to 1955, when John Peterson Sr. and his wife, Esther, purchased what was then a working dairy farm. When John Peterson Jr. inherited the property in the 1980s, he and Matthew became partners and took the farm in a new direction by planting Christmas trees and hay. Over time, they expanded to include a variety of crops — soybeans, wheat, strawberries, sweet corn, apples and peaches — and began raising their own beef.
The farm’s Christmas trees grow across a 10-acre field. “There’s a wide variety of shapes and sizes because when we prune them, we try to let each tree do what it does, so they all grow a little differently,” Peterson says.
Starting on Black Friday, families are invited to pick their own Christmas trees Friday through Sunday. “Customers can also tag a tree and return to cut it later,” Peterson says. Visitors can bring their own saws, borrow one from the farm or have a staff member cut the tree for them.
“It’s a festive atmosphere,” he says, noting that the farm serves free hot chocolate. “And if there’s snow, it’s magical.”
The farm offers Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, Douglas Fir and Canaan Fir trees. “Spruce trees have a pricklier needle than fir trees, which are soft and don’t poke your skin,” Peterson says. “If people have heavier ornaments, we direct them toward a Canaan or Blue Spruce, which have stiffer branches. Fir trees also hold their needles much longer than spruce. So when we first open, we suggest staying away from cutting a Norway Spruce, from a needle retention standpoint.” He adds that if prickly needles are an issue, disposable gloves make handling easier.
Peterson’s mother, Sherrie, and sister, Harlee Wainwright, make fresh wreaths ranging from 12 inches to 5 feet in diameter. Other holiday items for sale include ornaments and decorative pieces painted by Sherrie, as well as Christmas-themed earrings.
“Buying a Christmas tree helps support your local farm and is better for the environment,” Peterson says. “It serves as a habitat while it’s growing and is turned into mulch at the end of the season, not dumped in a landfill. And after trees are cut, another one is planted in its place.”
Learn more about Peterson Farm at petersonfarm.net.
Jake Peterson’s Christmas Tree 101
- Blue Spruce: Branches are stiff for heavy ornaments and have very good needle retention.
- Norway Spruce: Needle retention is fair and fragrance is mild.
- Douglas Fir: The classic Christmas tree look. It is full but has weaker branches. It has very good needle retention. The needles have a sweet fragrance when crushed.
- Canaan Fir: Similar to Fraser and Balsam Firs in appearance. It has very good needle retention, soft needles and offer a more pronounced fragrance than a Douglas Fir.