Pinkerman Farm knows tree business
Published 9:59 am Friday, December 12, 2014
![Tom and Patty Pinkerman stand amongst rows of Christmas trees on their farm located on State Route 775 just outside of Proctorville.](https://www.irontontribune.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2014/12/pinkerman-farm-1-DSC_8813.jpg)
Tom and Patty Pinkerman stand amongst rows of Christmas trees on their farm located on State Route 775 just outside of Proctorville.
ROME TOWSHIP — Tommy Pinkerman has been around the tree farm business for much of his life.
“My parents started a tree farm business in 1950,” Pinkerman said. “I was involved with it until the 70s, when I started in television, but I got back into trees in 2004.”
Trees available at the farm include Blue Spruce, White Pine, Norway Spruce, Red Pine, Scotch Pine, Frasier Fir and Douglas Fir.
“This year we have been selling a lot of White Pine,” Pinkerman said.
Trees are available at the farm all year round. However, it is a lot busier during the holidays when people are looking for Christmas trees.
“It takes about six to eight years for trees to get big enough to use for Christmas trees,” Pinkerman said. “We have about 3,500 trees on the lot and plant 200 to 300 new trees around the middle of April every year.”
Deer present the biggest problem for Pinkerman, as the ones with antlers wreck branches off some of the trees.
“It’s a full-time job,” Pinkerman said. “You need to take the weeds by the trees out, keep the grass mowed and trim the trees. Pines get trimmed in the summer, while spruces and firs get trimmed in the winter.”
Some people like cutting the trees down or digging them up themselves, but Pinkerman can also do it for them.
“I really enjoy watching the kids run around through the trees and pick out their Christmas tree,” Pinkerman said. “That’s one of my favorite parts about it.”
The farm is on level ground, so people can drive right next to the trees.
It is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. until dark all the way up until Christmas. Trees cost between $15 and $40.