Most Georgia cut-your-own Christmas tree farms open the weekend before Thanksgiving in 2026 — Saturday, November 21 — not the day after, and the few that publish prices charge by the foot, with Bottoms Christmas Tree Farm in Cumming the clearest example at $10 per foot. That opening date matters, because the received wisdom about Black Friday is now wrong at more than half the farms we checked.
The second thing to know: Georgia tree farms publish remarkably little. Of a dozen farms we checked, exactly one posted a per-foot price, two stated their payment methods, and one published a pet policy. None published terrain information. This guide records what each farm says and marks the rest “not published” rather than guessing.
Georgia farms mostly grow cypress — Leyland, Murray, Carolina Sapphire — because true firs do not thrive in the heat. Nearly every farm also trucks in pre-cut Fraser firs from North Carolina, so if your family is attached to a Fraser, you are buying a shipped tree wherever you go.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| When do farms open in 2026? | Many on Sat, Nov 21; several on Fri, Nov 27 |
| What does a tree cost? | $10 per foot at Bottoms; most farms publish no price |
| Do they supply saws? | Yes — saws and carts are standard |
| Cash or card? | Only two farms publish this; bring cash |
| Dogs? | Only Bottoms publishes a policy: leashed dogs welcome |
| How long does it take? | 60-90 minutes plain; 2-3 hours with a petting zoo |
When do Georgia Christmas tree farms open in 2026?
There are two opening dates, and which one your farm uses changes your Thanksgiving weekend. The Saturday-before-Thanksgiving group opens November 21, 2026: Bottoms in Cumming, Minter’s in Fayetteville, Moss Family in Adairsville, 7 G’s in Nicholson and Yule Forest in Stockbridge. Holly Hill in Dahlonega says only “opens the Saturday before Thanksgiving” — the same date.
The day-after-Thanksgiving group opens Friday, November 27: Coker Tree Farm in Marietta, whose listing reads “Opening Friday 11/27,” and Homestead in Hampton, open 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily from that date.
The pre-Thanksgiving weekend is quieter and the field is full, so you get the best trees — but the tree must survive an extra week indoors. Almost no farm publishes a closing date: Bottoms is the exception at December 19, and everyone else runs “until we run out,” which at a small farm can mean early December.
How do you find a real farm instead of a tree lot?
Start with the Georgia Christmas Tree Association’s Farm Finder at gacta.com/farms. It is the growers’ own trade association, the directory currently reports 53 farms, and each listing carries an address, phone, species grown and a checklist of amenities. Treat the count as a starting point rather than a census: it includes a few duplicate entries and one farm just over the line in Lanett, Alabama.
This inverts the usual advice: the association directory is frequently more current than the farm’s own site. Barn Hill in Dahlonega still greets visitors with “We are closed for the 2025 season,” and Coker’s own page still describes a December 1 closing from a previous year. Their GACTA listings carry current hours.
The other half of the job is calling. GACTA lists a phone number for nearly every farm, and a call the morning you go is the only way to learn whether a small farm has trees left.
What does a cut-your-own tree cost in Georgia?
Per-foot pricing is the norm, and $10 per foot is the one currently published figure we could confirm. Bottoms Christmas Tree Farm in Cumming states it plainly: choose-and-cut trees are $10 per foot, with fresh-cut Fraser firs “priced individually.” On that basis a seven-foot Leyland cypress is a $70 tree before tax.
Homestead in Hampton uses the other model: “The trees are tagged with the price, which includes cutting, shaking, bailing and drilling.” You walk the field and read tags — arguably fairer, but you cannot budget before you arrive.
Every other farm here publishes no price. Assume $60 to $150 for a cut-your-own tree, and call ahead if that range matters.
Payment is the related trap. Only two farms say what they take: Sleepy Hollow in Powder Springs (“Cash and cards accepted”) and Moss Family in Adairsville (“accept both cash and credit”). The rest are silent, and rural card readers depend on cell signal. Bring cash as the plan, card as the backup.
What does the farm actually do for you?
- Saws and carts. Yule Forest supplies “handsaws and carts for guests to use in the field.” Homestead furnishes saws and tree carts. Bottoms puts it best: “We provide the saw, you provide the saw power.”
- Cutting, if you would rather not. Homestead will cut the tree for you free of charge.
- Shaking and baling. Yule Forest staff “shake and bail your tree, and load it onto your vehicle.” Coker has “our own elve’s to shake and bail your tree free of charge.” At Homestead it is built into the tag price, along with drilling for a pin stand.
- Flocking. Yule Forest offers snow flocking in custom colours; Berry’s in Covington sells flocked trees too.
Nobody mentions twine or gloves. Bring both, plus a blanket for the car roof.
Which farms are worth the drive with kids?
There is a real split between farms that sell trees and farms that run a December event. If walking rows will bore your children, pick from the second group.
Yule Forest (Stockbridge) is the fullest package near Atlanta: hayride, petting zoo, hot apple cider, Santa and a country store. Berry’s (Covington) runs train rides, a concession stand and Santa photos, with the longest published hours here — Monday to Thursday noon to 7, Friday and Saturday 10 to 8, Sunday 10 to 7. Sleepy Hollow (Powder Springs) keeps sheep, goats, a donkey, pigs, chickens and rabbits, plus tractor rides and a playground. Minter’s (Fayetteville) has hayrides and a Christmas shop; Moss Family (Adairsville) runs a Trees for Tots Festival on December 5.
Several are the same farms you visit in October — see pumpkin patches near Atlanta and apple picking in north Georgia. The quiet end — Coker, Homestead, Holly Hill, Salem Valley — sells trees and little else, which with older kids is the faster trip.
Can you bring the dog, and can you push a stroller?
One Georgia farm publishes a pet policy and none publish anything about terrain. Bottoms in Cumming is the exception: “All four legged family members are welcome” provided they are leashed. Every other farm here is silent, so call rather than arrive with the dog in the back and hope.
On strollers, assume no. A cut-your-own field is mown grass over uneven ground with old stumps, and in a wet December it is mud. A carrier works; an umbrella stroller will not. Farms with hayrides — Yule Forest, Minter’s — give you a way to cover distance with a small child.
Nobody publishes accessible parking or firm-surface routes. If someone in your group cannot cross a field, Berry’s and Homestead both keep pre-cut Fraser firs at the barn.
Georgia cut-your-own tree farms compared
| Farm | Town / drive from Atlanta (approx.) | Price published | 2026 opening and hours | Dogs | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bottoms Christmas Tree Farm | Cumming, ~50 min | $10 per foot | Nov 21-Dec 19; Sat 9-6, Mon-Fri 3-6, closed Sun | Yes, leashed | Knowing the price in advance |
| Yule Forest | Stockbridge, ~35 min | Not published | Daily 9-6 from Nov 21 | Not published | Hayride and petting zoo |
| Berry’s Christmas Tree Farm | Covington, ~45 min | Not published | Mon-Thu 12-7, Fri-Sat 10-8, Sun 10-7 | Not published | Train rides and Santa photos |
| Sleepy Hollow | Powder Springs, ~40 min | Not published; cash and cards | Not published for Christmas | Not published | Farm animals and a playground |
| Minter’s Tree Farm | Fayetteville, ~40 min | Not published | Opens Nov 21; Mon-Fri 11-6, Sat-Sun 9-6 | Not published | Hayrides and a Christmas shop |
| Coker Tree Farm | Marietta, ~35 min | Not published | Opens Fri 11/27; weekends 9-6, weekdays 4-6 | Not published | A fast, no-frills cut |
| Homestead Christmas Tree Farm | Hampton, ~45 min | Tagged per tree | Opens Nov 27; daily 10:30-5:30 | Not published | Widest species choice |
| Moss Family | Adairsville, ~60 min | Not published; cash and credit | Opens Nov 21; Thu-Fri 4-7, Sat 11-7, Sun 1-7 | Not published | Trees for Tots Festival, Dec 5 |
| Holly Hill Tree Farm | Dahlonega, ~75 min | Not published | Sat before Thanksgiving; Sat 10-dark, Sun 1-dark | Not published | A north Georgia day out |
| 7 G’s Family Farm | Nicholson, ~80 min | Not published | “Saturday, November 21”; no hours posted | Not published | Cypress near Athens |
| Barn Hill Tree Farm | Dahlonega, ~75 min | Not published | Site still says “closed for the 2025 season” | Not published | 2026 unannounced — call |
| Salem Valley Trees | Ringgold, ~1 hr 45 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Northwest Georgia |
What should you do in these situations?
| If you… | Do this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Only have a couple of hours | Coker or Homestead, weekday afternoon | No hayride, no queue, saws at the gate |
| Have a toddler | Yule Forest or Minter’s, and use the hayride | The field is uneven; a stroller will not cope |
| Are bringing the dog | Bottoms in Cumming, on a leash | The only farm here publishing a pet policy |
| Want a Fraser fir | Berry’s or Homestead, pre-cut at the barn | Frasers are shipped in, not field-grown in Georgia |
| Are on a tight budget | Bottoms, and measure your ceiling first | At $10 a foot, two extra feet is $20 wasted |
| Want to avoid crowds | Go Nov 21-22, before Thanksgiving | Full fields, short queues, most farms open |
| It rains | Call first, then go with boots | Farms rarely close, but mud ends a toddler’s patience |
How do you keep the tree alive until Christmas?
UGA Extension is the most quotable source here. A fresh tree “can last from the first of November through Christmas, if you keep it supplied with water,” and a six-foot tree drinks about a gallon a day. Fill the stand the moment it comes indoors and check twice daily — “if you let the tree dry out, the base will seal up” and it stops drinking.
Two more from the same source: cut half an inch off the bottom before it goes in the stand, even on a tree cut that morning, and measure your ceiling first. An eight-foot ceiling takes about a seven-foot tree once the stand and topper are counted.
With the tree home, the rest of December is easier to plan: Christmas markets in Atlanta, outdoor ice skating and holiday train rides in Georgia, while Christmas in Helen pairs naturally with a north Georgia farm like Holly Hill.
FAQ
When do Georgia Christmas tree farms open in 2026?
Many open Saturday, November 21, 2026 — the weekend before Thanksgiving — including Bottoms, Minter’s, Moss Family, 7 G’s and Yule Forest. A second group opens the day after Thanksgiving, Friday, November 27: Coker in Marietta and Homestead in Hampton. Only Bottoms publishes a closing date, December 19.
How much does a cut-your-own Christmas tree cost in Georgia?
Pricing is per foot at most farms, but only one publishes a rate: Bottoms in Cumming charges $10 per foot, with pre-cut Fraser firs priced individually. Homestead in Hampton tags each tree instead, cutting, shaking, baling and drilling included. Every other farm we checked publishes no price.
Do Georgia tree farms take cards, or do you need cash?
Only two farms publish the answer. Sleepy Hollow in Powder Springs states “Cash and cards accepted,” and Moss Family in Adairsville accepts “both cash and credit.” Everyone else is silent, and rural card readers depend on cell signal. Bring cash and treat the card as the fallback.
Do the farms provide saws, or should you bring one?
Farms provide them. Yule Forest supplies handsaws and carts in the field, Homestead furnishes saws and carts, and Bottoms sums it up as “We provide the saw, you provide the saw power.” Shaking and baling are standard and usually free; Homestead also drills the trunk for a pin stand.
Cut-your-own or pre-cut Fraser fir — which should you buy?
Buy cut-your-own if freshness and the outing matter; buy a pre-cut Fraser if you want the classic stiff-branched shape. Georgia’s climate suits cypress, so Frasers here are shipped in from North Carolina. Berry’s and Homestead keep pre-cut Frasers at the barn, which also avoids crossing the field.
Which Georgia tree farm is best with young children?
Yule Forest in Stockbridge for the fullest package — hayride, petting zoo, hot apple cider, Santa and a country store. Berry’s in Covington runs train rides and Santa photos with the longest published hours. Sleepy Hollow in Powder Springs keeps farm animals and a playground alongside the field.
Can you bring a dog to a Georgia Christmas tree farm?
Bottoms Christmas Tree Farm in Cumming is the only farm in this guide that publishes a policy, and it is welcoming: “All four legged family members are welcome” on a leash. No other Georgia farm we checked addresses pets on its own site or in its Georgia Christmas Tree Association listing, so call ahead.
Can you push a stroller through a tree farm?
No Georgia farm publishes terrain or accessibility information, so plan for mown grass over uneven ground with old stumps, and mud after rain. A carrier beats a stroller. Hayride farms like Yule Forest and Minter’s give you another way to cover ground, and barn-side pre-cut trees avoid the field.
How do you find Christmas tree farms near you in Georgia?
Use the Georgia Christmas Tree Association’s Farm Finder at gacta.com/farms. It is the growers’ trade association, the directory currently reports 53 farms — a count that includes some duplicate entries and one farm in Lanett, Alabama — and each listing gives an address, phone, species and amenities. It is often more current than the farm’s own website, several of which still show a previous season.
How long will a Georgia-cut tree last indoors?
UGA Extension says a fresh tree can last from the first of November through Christmas if kept watered — about a gallon a day for a six-foot tree. Cut half an inch off the base before standing it, fill the stand immediately, and check twice daily: a tree that dries out seals its base and stops drinking.
How we checked this guide: Dates, hours, admission and parking prices, and access details were verified against the official sources listed below on . Operators change schedules and raise prices without notice, so confirm anything time-sensitive before you drive. The figures in this guide also feed our Georgia Attraction Transparency Index and Family Day-Out Cost Index.
Sources
- Georgia Christmas Tree Association — Farm Finder directory
- Georgia Christmas Tree Association — what farms offer
- Bottoms Christmas Tree Farm — price, dates, saws, dogs
- Yule Forest — GACTA listing, hours and amenities
- Yule Forest — saws, carts, shaking, baling, flocking
- Berry’s Christmas Tree Farm — GACTA listing and hours
- Sleepy Hollow — GACTA listing and payment methods
- Sleepy Hollow Farm — animals and tractor rides
- Minter’s Tree Farm — GACTA listing and hours
- Minter’s Farm — November 21, 2026 opening and hours
- Coker Tree Farm — GACTA listing, 11/27 opening
- Coker Tree Farm — saws, free shaking and baling
- Homestead — GACTA listing, opening date and hours
- Homestead — tagged pricing and what it includes
- Moss Family — GACTA listing and payment methods
- Moss Family — 2026 opening and hours
- Holly Hill Tree Farm — GACTA season and hours
- 7 G’s Family Farm — 2026 opening day announcement
- Barn Hill Tree Farm — site showing last season closed
- Salem Valley Trees — GACTA listing
- UGA CAES — species, watering and selection advice
Hank Whitlock is the pen name of the It's Georgia editor. Every guide is built around the questions a busy family actually asks before a trip: how long is the drive, what does parking cost, can the stroller make it, are dogs allowed. Details are checked against official park, city, and venue sources, and each guide shows the date it was last updated.
