Thank you to ALL our customers

Paul and I would like to extend our thanks to our customers for helping to make the Christmas 2011 a successful 1st season for us in the Christmas Tree rental business.  The majority of trees were returned in a healthy condition - 1 was as dry as a bone, but has unexpectedly picked up since we've had it back (thank goodness).  Hopefully it will continue to improve with our care. We expected about a 20% death rate, whether the trees were under/over watered, and in fact this figure was grossly over-estimated.  We lost just 2 trees - both Nordmans - it's sad as both were beautifully shaped healthy trees - lovely specimens.

We have plans to extend our "boundaries" and will publish the new map later this year.
Here's to the future!

Final Collection Day

Today's the final day for collections and everything's gone smoothly.  We're delighted with the response we've had - everyone's happy and most would like "their" tree back next Christmas, others realise that "their" tree will be too big next Christmas, but would still like to rent from us.  Some customers have even named "their" trees!....  "Brian", "Dot", "Tree", "Noel" to name but a few!

Collection Day 2

A bright and early start for day 2.  As we rounded off the evening with a take away kebab in Billericay at my sister and brother-in-law's, the trees we collected yesterday evening stayed in the vehicle overnight.  Paul has taken them to the farm this morning before starting this morning's collections.

We anticipated that 20% of the trees would die - either through customers not reading the care instructions properly, or "just one of those things".  Yesterday's collections showed 2 deaths - "just one of those things".  One tree has come back to us completely dry apparently because a customer didn't read the instructions...  this tree will go into SCTU - the Special Care Tree Unit and hopefully we'll be able to nurse it back to health.  It will be interesting to see if our predictions become reality.

BBC Essex Interview

We were delighted when BBC Essex contacted us (following the feature in The Guardian) saying they were very interested in our concept and would like to interview us.

Dave Monk arrived yesterday afternoon, microphone in hand and interviewed Paul as they walked around.  I was confined to "the container" and boy wasn't it cold!

The interview is being aired today between 10am & noon (Dave thought it would be at 10.45am) on BBC Essex radio 103.5 fm or can be streamed on BBC iplayer. 

Where do you put 120 trees in a wilderness?

Christmas tree collection starts today and as usual, we're not fully prepared!  If you could see the farm, you'd understand why!  We have cleared a temporary "holding" area with it's own drip-feed irrigation system, whilst we prepare the area of land where the trees will be replanted once they're repotted.  We also need to bear in mind the habitat for wildlife.

Before Pics....

Almost there.....