Is picking your own tree part of your family's ideal Christmas? If so, Alabama has lots of picturesque tree farms you can visit this weekend. In addition, many tree farm owners offer family activities - from pictures with Santa to pony rides - so you and your kids can plan a special day around choosing the perfect tree.

According to StatisticsBrain.com, 33 million real Christmas trees are purchased each year in the U.S. Of those, 84 percent are pre-cut trees and 16 percent come from cut-your-own tree farms. The National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA) points out that real trees are recyclable and renewable, saying 1 to 3 seedlings are planted for each tree harvested. Christmas trees are grown in all 50 states, NCTA says.

Where to find a cut-your-own tree farm in Alabama, alphabetized by county:
 

Baldwin County

Fish River Trees
13982 Woodhaven Dairy Road E., Summerdale, AL
251-988-8114
Cut-your-own trees: Virginia Pine, Leyland Cypress, Arizona Cypress (Carolina Sapphire), Murray Cypress
Pre-cut trees: Fraser Fir
Click here for hours and directions.

Chambers County

Gilbert Christmas Tree Farm
1230 County Road 296, Lanett, AL
706-585-5306 or 334-499-4007
Cut-your-own trees: Leyland Cypress, Virginia Pine, Carolina Sapphire
Pre-cut trees: Fraser Fir
Click here for hours and directions.

Chilton County

Neely Farms Choose-and-Cut Christmas Trees
275 Dakota Road, Thorsby, AL
205-389-1831 or 205-688-1826
Cut-your-own: Virginia Pine. 
Pre-cut trees: Fraser Fir.
Click here for hours and directions.

Coffee County

Stinson Christmas Tree Farm
26034 Highway 167, Jack, AL
334-897-5515
Cut-your-own: Arizona Cypress, Carolina Sapphire, Eastern Red Cedar, Leyland Cypress, Virginia Pine. Call for availability.
Click here for hours and directions.

Colbert County

Shell Tree Farm 
630 Bigbee Trail, Tuscumbia, AL 
256-383-4207
Cut-your-own trees: Virginia Pine, White Pine, Leyland Cypress and Carolina Sapphire Pre-cut trees: Fraser Fir
Click here for hours and directions.

Coosa County

Christmas in Dixie Christmas Tree Farm
5675 Bull Gap Road, Goodwater, AL
256-249-8808
Cut-your-own trees: Call for varieties
Click here for hours and directions.

DeKalb County

Heart of Dixie Christmas Tree Farm
384 County Road 720, Henagar, AL
865-680-3686
Owners Mike and Claudette McCarter say, "This will be our first year to sell Christmas Trees, we planted our first trees six years ago and now we have (give or take) 1,000 trees ready to sell."

Elmore County

Wadsworth Tree Farm
3071 Dexter Road, Wetumpka, AL
334-567-6308
Cut-your-own trees: Leyland Cypress, Arizona Cypress, Eastern Redcedar, and Virginia Pine.
Pre-cut trees: Fraser Fir and Black Hill Spruce
Click here for hours and directions.

Etowah County

Old Dairy Christmas Tree Farm
3273 McClain Circle, Ballplay, AL
256-504-8658
Leeland Cypress, Murry X Cypress, Carolina Shappires
Click here for hours and directions.

Houston County

Back Home Christmas Tree Farm
1717 Womack Road, Cottonwood, AL
334-691-2980
Cut-your-own trees: Arizona Cypress, Leyland Cypress, Virginia Pine
Click here for hours and directions.

Jackson County

Thornhill Tree Farm
15107 Alabama Highway 71, Pisgah, AL
256-608-9595
Cut-your-own trees: Leyland Cypress, Arborvitae, White Pine, Blue Pyramid
Pre-cut: Fraser Fir
Click here for hours and directions.

Jefferson County

Pine Hill Farm
538 Pine Hill Circle, Tarrant, AL
205-841-6766
Cut-your-own trees: Carolina Sapphire, Murray X, Leyland Cypress
Pre-cut trees: Fraser Fir, Douglas Fir, Black Hill Spruce, Concolor
Click here for hours and directions.

Jefferson County

Beavers Tree Farm
10093 Bradford Trafford Road, Trafford, AL
205-681-4494
Click here for hours and directions.

Limestone County

Trim-A-Tree Farm
15250 Line Road, Athens, AL
256 497-0801
Cut-your-own trees: Leyland cypress
Pre-cut: Fraser fir
Click here for hours and directions.

Madison County

Valley Christmas Tree Plantation
482 St. Clair Lane, Huntsville, AL
256-851-9375
Cut-your-own trees: White Pine, Virginia Pine, Leyland Cypress and Arizona Cypress
The owners of this farm are retiring after this season. A Facebook message says: "We have been providing Christmas trees and a holiday tradition for over 40 years. It's time for us to retire. We have greatly reduced our tree inventory. We have also reduced our hours of operation to Thursday thru Sunday 9 am to 4:30 pm while our tree supply lasts."
Click here for hours and directions.

Marion County

Tara Place Christmas Tree Farm
623 Evergreen Road, Hamilton, AL
205-921-7680
Cut-your-own trees: Eastern White Pine, Leyland Cypress. 
Pre-cut varieties: Fraser Fir.
Click here for hours and directions

Marshall County

Mountain High Christmas Tree Farm
9609 Martling Road, Albertville, AL
256-506-0003
Cut-your-own trees: Call for varieties
Click here for hours and directions.

Mobile County

Ramsay Farms
9209 Ramsay Road, Grand Bay, AL
251-865-4363
Cut-your-own trees: Virginia Pines, Leyland Cypress, Eastern Red Cedars
Pre-cut trees: Fraser Fir
Click here for directions and hours.

Morgan County

Schwerman Christmas Tree Plantation
1383 McCutcheon Loop Road, Lacey's Spring, AL
256-882-6185
Cut-your-own trees: Leyland Cypress, Virginia Pine, White Pine and Exotics
Click here for hours and directions.

Randolph County

Cole's Christmas Tree Farm
2741 County Road 27, Woodland, AL 
334-332-3574
Click here for hours and directions.

Shelby County

Old Baker Farm
1041 Farmingdale Road, Harpersville, AL
205-672-7209
Cut-your-own trees: Carolina Sapphire, Leyland Cypress, Virginia Pine, White Pine, Arizona Sapphire, limited Red Cedars. 
Click here for hours and directions.

Talladega County

Matt's Christmas Tree Farm
4104 McElderry Road, Munford AL
256-375-2015
Virginia Pine and Leland Cypress
Click here for hours and directions.

Talladega County

Westwood Plantations
130 Pinewood Drive, Munford, AL
256-368-8806
Cut-your-own trees: Carolina Sapphire, Deodara Cedar, Leyland Cypress and other varieties
Click here for hours and directions.

Tuscaloosa County

Murphy's Christmas Tree Farms
7209 Mill Way, Tuscaloosa, AL
OR 14442 Preacher Lee Road, Northport, AL
205-826-4231
You-cut trees: Leyland Cypress. 
They cut trees: Arizona Cypress, Eastern Red Cedar, Virginia Pine. 
Pre-cut trees: Fraser Fir. 
Click here for hours and directions.

Tuscaloosa County

Wilderwood Farm
12611 Coyote Trail, Ralph, AL
205-310-5913
Cut-your-own trees: Leyland Cypress
Pre-cut trees: Fraser Fir
Click here for hours and directions.

Walker County

Clear Creek Christmas Tree Farm
1201 Lamom Chapel Rd, Jasper, AL
205-300-4336
Cut-your-own trees: Arizona Cypress, Carolina Sapphire, Leyland Cypress.
Click here for hours and directions.
 

Source: "Here's where to cut your own Christmas trees in Alabama" AL.com (November 20, 2018)  Kelly Kazek