By Callum Wright and Kiera Byrne
A family running a farm in Rushcliffe say they have gone from “strength to strength” since deciding to diversify by growing Christmas trees and then opening them up for the public to choose their own.
Kirk Farms, in Costock on the Nottinghamshire-Leicestershire border, started planting their ‘Costock Christmas Trees’ eight years ago.
With 40,000 trees, it is now thought to be one of the largest farms of its type in the East Midlands.
The family decided last year (2023) to open up the Christmas tree farm for the public to visit for the first time, rather than selling them offsite, and have since turned it into a full festive experience.
The thousands of trees are transported from Denmark and planted across 16 acres of land so they can grow to full maturity over the course of seven years.
Rachel Kirk, one of the partners at the farm, said: “We started planting about eight years ago, it was just a good way to diversify on the farm.
“When we first opened last year we weren’t thinking of doing this but so many people asked, we sort of had to go away and have a quick think.
“Last year we couldn’t believe how many people came to us, it was really popular, far more than we expected, we’ve had lots of repeat business this year.”
Trees of multiple different sizes are grown on the farm, and when people go to pick one out, Jack Bigley-Kirk, who also works on the farm, says it offers something different.
“It’s a unique experience, you get to bring the family here, get to walk around, you make a day of it,” he said.
Three generations of the Kirk family have operated on the site since the 1970s and the farm has been a family business from the start.
Alongside the Christmas trees, there’s also a group of sheep that can be visited and local businesses sometimes set up on the farm, including Weavers Wines and Bake it Pretty.
