Keith & Becky Garlock, Garlock Tree Farm
Nestled in the rolling hills on the outskirts of Sebastopol, Garlock Tree Farm has been helping families make happy holiday memories for decades. Owned and operated by Keith and Becky Garlock and their family, the farm offers choose-and-cut trees, visits with Santa, a petting zoo, tractor-pulled hayrides, a festive farm store with fresh wreaths, ornaments, and gifts, and snack bar and picnic area. Though the farm is open for just a few weeks beginning Black Friday, Christmas trees, like all agricultural crops, require long hours of hard work year-round, from planting seedlings, to pruning and shaping, mowing and irrigating, and then managing the harvest to ensure that the farm is sustainable for years to come. But as is evident in this Member Spotlight, the work is worth it as it brings joy not only to customers but also to the farmers themselves.
Garlock Tree Farm, 2275 Bloomfield Road, Sebastopol; garlocktreefarm.com
Farm Trails member since 1999
How did you get interested in farming?
Keith’s parents were farmers and planted our property into Christmas trees in 1966. Since Keith grew up in a farming family, he joined FFA in high school and majored in agriculture in college.
Keith worked on the family farm his whole life and brought Becky into the business when they got married in 1985. Becky and Keith took over the operation of the Christmas tree farm in 2001 and have run it ever since with the assistance of their three daughters, Caitlyn, Meghan, and Erin.
What do you grow?
We grow Christmas trees. Our primary tree is a Douglas Fir, but we also grow Monterey Pine, Scotch Pine, Cypress, Cedar, Nordman Fir, Turkish Fir, White Fir, and White Spruce. We also bring in fresh-cut Noble Fir from Oregon, and Silver Tip from Northern California. Also, we make our own unique wreaths and decor out of our greenery, including horse head wreaths, table decorations, and porch pots.
What do you find the most rewarding about your work?
Anyone involved in agriculture knows the feeling of growing/raising a crop and producing a quality product that people enjoy. We experience a sense of accomplishment in striving for that perfect tree!
It is rewarding to work together as a family (including our employees who are like our extended family) to make the business successful and a place that families return to year after year as part of their holiday tradition. It is very rewarding to bring joy and holiday spirit to families from all over Northern California.
What do you value about being a Farm Trails member?
We have been a Farm Trails member for 25 years and have found it to be an effective way to market our business in Sonoma County. It is nice to be part of a like-minded local community that works together to support local agriculture and the matters that affect our businesses.
What are your hopes for the future of your business?
It would be nice to see our children take over the ownership and operation of the Christmas tree farm. We believe that agriculture is a wholesome way to raise a family and that living close to the earth nurtures a relationship to the soil, the weather and the community. I can already see that our grandchildren are fond of the Christmas tree business, and it would be nice to raise them in a farming tradition. The farm has been in our family since 1951, and it would be a shame for it to no longer be a part of the Garlock family. We hope to keep it operating for generations to come.
What advice would you share with someone starting out in your line of business?
Farming is a lot of work and Christmas tree farming is no exception. It is long hours on weekends and holidays to keep up with a workload that never seems to end. It must be a passion for you to enjoy this line of work. If you love this business, then it does not feel like work (most of the time), but if you are in it for the money or as an investment, then the long hours would grow old after a while. Do it because you love it and you will never work a day in your life!
Photos by Lisa Rose / The Farmers Photographer