Broken Arrow Nursery celebrates 75 years in the Christmas tree business
December 9, 2021
Beginning as a 250 Norway spruce 4-H project award in 1947, Broken Arrow Nursery now celebrates 75 years in the two location Christmas tree farm business.
The Owner of Broken Arrow Nursery Richard Jaynes says that most of their business is done a month or so before Christmas.
“A lot of customers the weekend before Thanksgiving and this past weekend,” Jaynes said. “Probably we’ve done three quarters of what will be our total sales of the year.”
With tree sales amounting to a little over 2,000 a year, Jaynes has grown tons of different trees over the years across the 25 acres of land that the farm sits on.
“These are blue spruces on the right and the trees right here are douglas fir… we like them because they grow fast,” Jaynes said. “They could shape up readily. These are already over 6 feet. They always look bigger when you bring them in the house than they look in the field.”
Jaynes says he sees a long future in the business since the sentimental value of coming to the farm with family always beats buying the artificial tree.
“It’s a long tradition and of course we compete with the artificial tree, but going to a box store and getting an artificial tree is not quite the same. It’s not like coming out to a place like this and being at a true farm,” Jaynes said.
As November approaches, customers from all over Connecticut and across the Northeast travel to cut a live tree for the holidays. Each year, Jaynes says 25% of the customers purchasing trees are coming to Broken Arrow Nursery for the first time.
“It’s amazing how many customers we get every year and I honestly don’t know the proportion but we probably have at least 25% new customers,” Jaynes said.
Even as the milestone anniversary nears the end, Jaynes says he appreciates the work he and his family has put into the business throughout his lifetime.
“You’re never sure of what’s going to happen the next day or in the next year but I’m delighted to be here and be a part of it and be in pretty good health.”
Customers will be able to receive a wooden ornament celebrating 75 years in business until Christmas when a tree is cut.
