“On her back hill, Wilma had looked in July for the right tree to cut in December. Her Christmas began when she went for the one she had chosen and brought it home to her parlor. But before she wrapped the green branches with lights, she thought of people who had no back hill. Where would they find such a fine tree?”

In Mary Lyn Ray’s charming picture book Christmas Farms, sweet Wilma is a flower gardener who is ready to try something new for next year. But, she just isn’t sure what. Wilma has the perfect back hill where lovely old trees have grown for years. Every year she picks the most lovely Christmas tree from that back hill. This year, however, Wilma realizes that she has the land and the time to expand that back hill and grow Christmas trees for many people. All she needs is some patience and a little help. 

“So Wilma ordered sixty-two dozen small starts of balsam for spring. She was pretty good at counting by dozens. When she made doughnuts on Saturday mornings, she always made a dozen. But sixty-two dozen was a lot of trees. She would need help setting them out. She would need Parker.”

Just like the seedlings that Wilma ordered, the helpful little boy next door was also five years old. And he loved to help Wilma with her sunflowers, so she was sure he would love to help with the trees. 

Wilma and Parker measured twenty-four straight rows and planted seven hundred and forty-four trees. And with the passing of seasons, the trees grew. Each winter, a few were lost to mice, then deer, and ice, and then clumsy moose. But every year, Parker and the trees grew stronger and taller. 

Finally, when they were ten years old, Wilma and Parker trimmed five hundred and ninety-seven trees in preparation for Christmas. 

“Far away, too, in rooms they never saw, in places they never knew, five hundred and sixty-six trees that Wilma and Parker had grown wore lights and balls and tinsel in their branches – green balsam branches that smelled the sweet smell of Christmas.”

Not all of the trees were cut down. A few remained to grow taller and stronger for next year! And, of the stumps that were also left behind, many would sprout new growth and years down the road become Christmas trees again. 

This charming story is graced with lovely illustrations by Barry Root. The story shows the seasons, the waiting, and the magical process by which Christmas trees are grown and cared for. At the end of the book, there is a wonderful note from the author with a little history and science about Christmas trees. 

This lovely book is in print and easily available. The family who donated this to my library would like you to know that there is an excellent tractor in the middle of the story. Also, there is a sweet read-aloud version of this on Youtube.

Here is a link to this book on Biblioguides.