By Tanner Hood

There’s history in the Chambers County hillside where Ray and Joan Gilbert have operated their family Christmas tree farm for over 40 years. 

“We planted our first trees in January 1984,” said Ray, the proprietor of Gilbert Christmas Tree Farm. “Our son was 2 when we purchased the land. He and my daughter grew up planting, trimming and helping on the farm.” 

Now, the Gilberts are preparing the next generation to operate the evergreen enterprise. Grandson Ty, a horticulture student at Auburn University (AU), has been involved as long as he can remember. 

“If you can think of it on a Christmas tree farm, I’ve probably done it,” Ty said. “I’ve seen the way families come out here repeatedly. It puts smiles on faces.”

Though Ty will step into an established operation, the Gilberts’ tree-growing business was once a fraction of its current production. 

“My daddy had an old panel van we’d open up and sell out of early on,” Ray said. “We planted 200 trees our first year and only sold about 100 of those, so there wasn’t a need to expand. We weren’t making money, but I was stubborn and enjoyed seeing the people.” 

As the Gilberts’ roots took hold, so did the operation’s growth. Today, the farm includes a 900-square-foot gift shop with live wreaths and bows artfully assembled by Joan, plus a treasure trove of ornaments to trim freshly cut trees.

“I’ve done it all,” Joan said. “I used to go out there and dig holes with a dibble bar and plant trees, but I’ve now graduated from that. Other farms were doing a gift shop, so we decided to buy some ornaments and started hand-making crafts. Now, I work out of the gift shop with my daughter and daughter-in-law.” 

Though the operation has grown, Ray said tree care hasn’t changed much, aside from better fertilizer and irrigation practices learned through AU. 

“Many customers believe the tree grows naturally into a triangle like that,” Ray said. “I had no idea how much work it took when we started. Trimming starts in the spring, and we might trim our cypresses four times a year.”

While Ray and Ty invest substantial sweat equity into trees on the front end, there’s a simple tip for each customer to keep their tree healthy.

“It’s got to be watered,” Joan said. “You’ve got to think of your tree like a cut flower. If you don’t water it, it’s not going to live. You take cut flowers from the florist and place them in water, so you’ve got to put your cut tree in water.”

As shoppers prepare to flood the festive farm over the holiday season, Ray reflected on families who have visited through the decades. 

“The best part about being a Christmas tree farmer is seeing the kids have fun with their parents and the families that come back every year,” Ray said. “We try to treat them good on the farm, and they come back knowing your name. It’s just a fun thing to have.”