Today we took our annual trip to Hagg Farm to get our Christmas tree. By some miracle, and unlike every single other time we’ve been there, it wasn’t pouring down icy rain. We were hoping the very light snow flurries we had this morning would last until we went to get a tree, but they didn’t.

The other big difference this year is that we brought the dog.

Harnessing the Beast

I don’t know why we brought the dog, since he had to be on his leash the whole time, and we didn’t take him into the barn where the animals were. But there you go.

Hagg Farm is located southwest of Portland, past the tiny little town of Scholls. It is situated on top of a ridge, in the middle of some beautiful country. It’s always a pleasure to drive out there.

Christmas Trees on the Hills

That’s the view looking toward the upper tree lot and the U-cut trees. You can take a hayride up that winding road to get there.

Cashier's booth

This little shed is where you pay for your tree. Don’t feel too sorry for the cashier — there’s a little woodstove in there that cranks out the BTUs.

The tree-baler

They also have a nifty tree-baler there. Feed the tree in one end, and it comes out wrapped up like an umbrella. Very handy when space is at a premium in or on your vehicle.

The Big Barn at Hagg Farms

There’s a Big Barn at Haggs, too, that has the Holiday Bazaar in it. The Bazaar consists of an assortment of antiques, knick-knacks, folk art, and candy for sale. There is also a handful of goats and two donkeys, and some dispensers of pet chow.

Let Sleeping Goats Lie

This year the goats were all asleep. I mean it, they were actually asleep, some of them standing up, and they didn’t even respond when goat chow was offered to them. Inconceivable.

The donkeys, however, were more than willing to pick up the slack.

Nom-nom-nom

There is free coffee and hot chocolate, which certainly helps warm you up on a chilly day. But what REALLY helps are the two monstrous woodstoves located in the center of the Barn.

The Woodstove of Doom

They are impressive, both in their size and the amount of heat they throw off.

We eventually got the tree home, in the door, and in the Christmas tree stand.

Baled tree

Once it was secured, we removed the nylon twine keeping it compressed.

tree unfurled!

POOF! It’s a tree. A Grand Fir, to be specific. We’ve gotten Grands the last several years. I guess it’s become a tradition.

I’ll put up more pictures once it’s decorated.