Feature Home: Living on a Christmas Tree Farm

It must be magical (and busy) this time of year on a real Christmas Tree farm. To find out more, I’m thrilled to welcome Lee to the blog. Lee, her husband and 2 children live in Tasmania, where they run the Killiecrankie Christmas Tree Farm. One thing that strikes me about Lee, is the contagious connection she exhibits between living, loving and working. It’s inspiring!

1. What made you take the leap to move from the city to farm living in Tasmania?

My future husband moved down initially for work, when I found a job in Tasmania also, we finally lived in the same place for the first time in years.   We weren’t going to stay. Just work, then go off on our Cycle Tour of The World.

We did the cycle tour and realised we really couldn’t live in a city again. We loved the pace of life down in Tassie enough to want to make the move permanent.

Since then, we have added to Tasmania’s population with my parents, sister and brother-in-law and three kids of our own.

Sunrise at Killiecrankie Farm

Frosty morning at Killiecrankie Farm

“The kids are very food orientated when relating about the farm!”

I think it’s the 15 square metres of raspberries, followed by dippie eggs from our chooks – the kids are very food orientated when relating about the farm!

Kids at Killiecrankie Farm

Everything!

Having everyone home, high Summer, presents, eating outdoors, ham leftovers, the build up to Christmas Day, school holidays, carols by candlelight, wrapping parcels, making gifts, cooking traditional foods you get only get once a year…yeh, I like Christmas.

Aussie Christmas Wreath at Killiecrankie Farm

Yes, my Mum’s Rum Balls – fruit soaked for a good six months!

(With the added advantage of licking out the tin of condensed milk)

Check out Lee’s blog for wonderful recipes like these:

“At the farm there is an ageless joy emitted from people choosing their own tree. Its contagious. And there’s a  link with traditions new and old that shines from peoples faces.”

I couldn’t imagine not having a real Christmas Tree. We had them as kids, the scruffy rangly ones you bought at the markets sold as fund raisers for the Scouts. But the smell of the pine is wonderful, and it’s all part of that sense of Christmas.

At the farm there is an ageless joy emitted from people choosing their own tree. Its contagious. And there’s a  link with traditions new and old that shines from peoples faces.

Our trees last about six weeks.  The whole key is to cut the tree fresh and then put it straight into water. I think people have had bad experiences with live trees because they die prematurely due to prolonged periods standing on sidewalks without water. I tend to liken a live Christmas Tree to a big bunch of flowers: if you don’t provide water, maybe re-cut the stems, they don’t last long.

Real Christmas Tree at Killiecrankie Farm

“Don’t feel sustainability has to be an all or nothing activity. Start with simple lifestyle or eating changes.”

6. What are your top 3 tips for sustainable living?

1. Grow something — anything, to eat. In a pot, in a yogurt container, a vegie patch even. Be it herbs, a bit of lettuce, it all contributes to a better quality of life and appreciation for the seasons and the process of producing food.

2. Don’t feel sustainability has to be an all or nothing activity. Start with simple lifestyle or eating changes.

3. Buy local produce – food miles are a crazy business!

Gardening at Killiecrankie Farm

“Go with what moves you to the Spirit of Christmas, be its smartly kitted out in vintage or a frenetic flurry of colour.”

7. What are some Christmas Tree decoration ideas (including handmade)

I’m an eclectic tree decorator. I’d be a terrible tree styler, as I couldn’t stick with a colour range or style type. People expect to see stunning tree decorating at our place, but they are more likely to find a red crochet heart next to a purple glitter ball the kids made. I suggest go with what moves you to the Spirit of Christmas, be its smartly kitted out in vintage or a frenetic flurry of colour.

Handmade decorations at Killiecrankie Farm

For handmade – anything made with paper !

People are so clever with papercrafts, it’s really such a traditional skill that continues to reinvent itself into more beautiful and amazing things. Scherenschnitte, collage, encaustic, origami, letterpresssing, card making  – you can almost guarantee to find a paper, equipment or style to suite any budget and always gain a beautiful handmade piece of art.

Plus paper is sustainable and biodegradable so its like the low fat of Christmas decorations. When you are sick of them they won’t contribute to landfill, but go happily on to recycling.

These Peace Dove decorations looks so pretty on the tree!

Click the picture for the template

More

I LOVE Lee’s blog.  It’s so inspiring and gives you an insight into everyday family life at the Killiecrankie Farm. Click here to visit.

Killiecrankie Farm Website

Killiecrankie on Facebook

Be A Fun Mum Links

Handmade Tree Decorations

When do you put up the Christmas Tree

Putting the Christmas Tree Down

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