Tree farmers; some questions

[Dune]

Looking for a little info on tree farms.
Is twenty acres worth it or way too small?
How are tree sales at this point in the economy?
Specialties? Thinking about Hollies, christmas trees and shrubs.

Any thoughts welcome, thanks

 

[peakbagger]

You might want to take a look at Northern Woodlands magazine website at the back issues. They are pretty much written for small forest land owners. I am a long term subscriber. 20 acres is quite small for a tree farm but if you are near a dense population area you may be able to develop a market selling local products. I stop at couple of farm stands when I visit Mass and most of them have some local product but many source from other farmers who dont have good location.

 

[Dune]

Thanks for the tip.

 

[vinny11950]

Looking for a little info on tree farms.
Is twenty acres worth it or way too small?
How are tree sales at this point in the economy?
Specialties? Thinking about Hollies, christmas trees and shrubs.

Any thoughts welcome, thanks

Not sure about the tree business, but I would say this economic cycle of expansion is running long and we are due for a recession sometime in the next 2-3 years. I don't know how mild or severe it will be, but if you are considering buying into a business now, you would be buying at the top of a long economic cycle with the high possibility of a down turn coming. But I don't know the tree business and how it performs in a recession. Good luck.

 

[peakbagger]

The timber business in New England and especially in Mass is in long term decline as the low grade markets are mostly gone. There are so few loggers in Mass that getting workmans comp is darn close to impossible, the state also drove the low grade wood market under by declaring that biomass power isnt renewable. There is some hope that they will declare biomass heating acceptable for thermal recs, but expect a lot of folks are in line to supply that demand.

 

[Doc C]

In our area a person needs about 40 acres or more to make a go of it.

My family owns several tree farms. All evergreen tree farms.

The crash of 2008 sent the price if trees down drastically and it's been a battle to get the prices back up.

I have thought about starting a tree farm on my own land but I just can't get the numbers to work in my favor.