Happy Minot Monday! Today I’m sharing my favorite places to get U-Cut and Fresh Christmas trees in Minot.
Growing up, my family always cut a fresh Christmas tree. It was a whole thing. We’d pack up with cocoa and cookies and make the long drive to the tree lot. Then we’d walk and ponder our fabulous options until we found just the right tree.
Northern Indiana might not be Vermont, but we’ve got a fair share of great U-Cut tree farms. One summer my sister and I even worked for a tree farm. We spent our days whacking Christmas trees into shape with machetes. It was one of my weirder jobs, but I left the summer with a great tan, toned arms and only one nasty scar from nicking myself with the blade.
I’m getting off track.
Cutting a Tree is Always an Adventure
The moral of the story is this: I like to cut my own tree. Derek and I have always had a real tree. And we always try to cut it ourselves. After getting married and spending our first Christmas in Florida, we learned that we’d been really spoiled by all the tree lots in Indiana and Michigan.
The Christmas season has brought us a lot of adventures when it comes to finding and cutting our own tree. Especially since we rarely stay in a town long enough to get in a tree-cutting routine.
In Florida we stumbled across a weird lot in the middle of nowhere. There was a mailbox with a saw inside and brief instructions to use the saw and leave money in the box. We hauled that tree home in our 1995 LeBaron convertible.
In Louisiana we found a similarly odd lot and came home with a ragged tree that looked okay once we got the lights on. (At least we cut it ourselves.)
When we moved to Minot the first time, we were clueless about Christmas trees. If you’ve never been here, let me fill you in: trees are not abundant here in Practically Canada. We searched for a lot…but finally ended up cutting a mostly-fallen-over pine with its roots exposed…sitting at the edge of a construction site.
Another year we heard through the grapevine about a lot being cleared north of town. Sure enough, guys were out there with chainsaws cutting down 20 foot trees. All we had to do was pick one and specify how much of the top half we wanted.
In South Dakota we bought permits to cut trees out of the National Forest.
See what I mean? It’s always an adventure.
Christmas Trees in Minot, ND
By the time we left Minot the first time, we had found a consistent place to do U-Cut Christmas trees: TC Nursery in Burlington.
Now that we’re back, that’s where we headed to get a tree.
As I said, trees are not plentiful here. TC’s is the only place I know of (and we’ve looked pretty hard) that offers U-Cut consistently. The U-Cut trees are not like the U-Cuts in Indiana that I grew up with. There aren’t multiple species to choose from. The rows are a little more rustic. It’s akin to getting a tree in the Black Hills National Forest. Except instead of an entire forest, we only have to scope out one farm.
That’s what we did today. Derek had the morning off, so we headed out to Burlington for a tree. The weather was perfect and we had the lot to ourselves. We were told that our U-Cut options might be a little picked over, but we were welcome to give it a try.
We did find a tree to cut ourselves, but even if we hadn’t TC’s pre-cut trees were a nice fall-back plan.
Getting Christmas Trees in Minot, ND
Okay. You’ve heard my story about tree hunting. You know I prefer a tree I can cut…even if that means it’s not the prettiest specimen. Sure, you can grab a tree from a big-box store, but I’d rather shop small and gain some quality and have a unique experience. When it comes to getting a Christmas tree in Minot, here are my two recommendations.
TC Nursery
As I said, TC Nursery is where we got our tree this year. TC has trees you can scout and cut yourself if you’re into that. They also have a great selection of pre-cut “classic” Christmas trees (think Frasier Firs, Scotch Pine, Colorado Spruce, etc.)
TC Nursery is pretty quiet in the winter and the staff is so nice. They have nice, quality trees and the drive out of town is pretty. The nursery itself is a great place to snap pretty Christmas card photos too. If you are looking for a great precut tree with a friendly, festive-yet-straightforward experience, TC’s is your best bet. (TC’s also does occasional special events, like a visit from reindeer! Check their Facebook page.)
Lowe’s Floral and Garden Center
Lowe’s is my second recommendation. Getting a tree here is more of an “experience.” Lowe’s has more of a winter-wonderland vibe. There are lights, music and decor and decorated trees. The shop is full of holiday decor, ornaments, wreaths and spruce tops for purchase. The staff is so sweet and you can enjoy free hot cider and candy canes while you shop.
The trees are hand cleaned and fully displayed. The staff takes a lot of pride in selecting high quality trees for their customers. They also offer free delivery in town and free stand installation in store.
If you are looking for a pre-cut tree and some extra merry-making, head to Lowe’s.
I love both of these places and cannot recommend them highly enough. It’s great to shop big chains…but even better to support small business owners that make small-town America so stinking great.
