By Brittney Matejka

U-cut Christmas tree farm opens to create new family traditions

Dec 3, 2017 | 10:39 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB. – Country Mouse Tree Farm welcomed their first guests to chop down Christmas trees to take home over the weekend.

The ‘U-cut’ tree farm has been a dream of the Bodnaruk family for almost 10 years, said owner Erika Bodnaruk. In 2008, Erika and Gerald Bodnarnuk planted their first 500 Christmas trees.

“”We planted them from seedlings, we belong to a Christmas tree association in Saskatchewan, Alberta and BC,” she explained, “We get them and they’re about 6 inches high.”

The tree farm is a family affair for the Bodnarnuk’s, both their children have a hand in caring for the trees and planting a new crop of seedlings each year.

“We have irrigation out here on the property so they are watered regularly since we go through long stretches without any rain,” she explained, “We plant in concurrent years so we’ll always have a good supply of Christmas trees.”

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Bodnaruk said they are trying to do more than provide fresh Christmas trees to Medicine Hat.

“What we are trying to do out here is sell a tradition, it’s exciting to come out,” she explained, “You get your hot chocolate, Christmas cookies and you’ll get your picture taken, a wagon ride and we’ve got Santa out there.”

There has been some concerned raised from people regarding the needle loss of having a live Christmas tree, but Bodnaruk explains that fresh cut trees are different than those sold in a store.

“Often trees are cut in the box stores in September, they’ll freeze them and haul them out to Alberta, causing a lot of needle loss,” she explained, “With our fresh cut Christmas trees, you’ll find that the needle loss has gone down a ton.”

Country Mouse Tree Farm is going to be open again on Sunday, December 10th from 12:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. for families to cut down their own tree for Christmas.