Topton -"I just about like everything Christmas,” Rick Postell said, looking out to his field of Christmas trees.
Rick and his wife, Judi, own Fir Heaven Sake Christmas Tree Farm, the only N.C. Christmas Tree Association farm in Cherokee County.
Rick had always wanted to work with the Forest Service or grow trees. However, his family owned a tobacco farm, and he liked working there, too.
Then the so-called Blizzard of 1993 collapsed the farm’s dry barn.
“After the barn collapsed, we just lost interest in it,” Postell said.
Each year, Rick used to go to a tree farm in Franklin. As he picked out the family Christmas tree to dig up, he would ask the owner all he could about growing the trees. The owner told him it was hard work.
After the Christmas holiday each year, the family would replant the tree on their property.
“That’s how we knew we could grow trees here,” Rick said.
Once they decided turn the former tobacco farm into a tree farm, Rick saw that it was indeed hard work, but he doesn’t mind.
“He enjoys hard work, and this is very hard work,” Judi said. “It’s just about his dream come true. I’m so thankful I’ve been able to help him.”
Tree leads to marriage
Judi grew up in Washington and Oregon, but visited the mountains of western North Carolina often, as her father was from Cullowhee, and dreamed of living here.
One day, she had an eye doctor appointment, but her mother convinced her to cancel and go to a different doctor. The receptionist at the new doctor told her there was a guy she wanted her to meet, but Judi said she wasn’t interested.
“I didn’t want to date,” Judi said. “I was very happy, I thought.”
She had to go back to that doctor two more times. Each time the receptionist tried to convince her to meet him, telling her they’d be perfect for each other.
Finally, Judi decided to think and pray about it, then told the receptionist she may give the gentleman her email – nothing else. Judi and Rick emailed each other for three weeks before calling each other.
“I liked him before I met him,” she said.
One of their first dates was to the tree farm in Franklin.
“It was neat to look at all the trees,” Judi said. “It was so much fun.”
She thought it was neat how much Rick knew about each tree. She watched as Rick narrowed his search to three trees, then two, then finally decided on the tree he wanted to dig up and bring home.
That was in 2000. They married on Aug. 25, 2001.
Betting the farm
In 2006, the Postells got a grant to help transition the farm into something other than tobacco farm.
“What worked for us is when we wrote the grant, it all just fell together,” Judi said.
They dreamed of having a gift shop along with the farm, including decorations painted by Judi on the grounds.
“I think that’s why we got the grant,” Judi said. “We had that kind of vision, a future vision.”
They used the grant to purchase 500-1,000 saplings to start a Christmas tree farm. The trees grew a foot each year, allowing the Postells to start selling trees six years later.
Today, the farm has
about 3,000 trees in varying degrees of growth in
six varieties – Turkish Fir, Nordmann fir, Canaan fir, Fraser fir, Norway spruce and Colorado blue spruce. The most popular variety is the Fraser fir. There’s also a Nativity scene, snowman decorations, penguin decorations, and even a deer that raises and lowers its head.
There are also games on the property, like corn hole, for families to enjoy. Santa also makes appearances, and sleigh rides through the property are available.
Every year, they add to their farm. Judi said she loves coming up with new ideas. She also enjoys seeing regular customers and their children each year.
“You love seeing them grow up,” Judi said.
The gift shop contains several Christmas items, including ornaments made by Judi. She’ll repurpose old lightbulbs into ornaments or even use discs of wood Rick cuts from trees that don’t survive.
“They turn out pretty good,” Rick said.
Fir Heaven Sake
Rick came up with the name of the farm, with some help from Judi’s cousin. Rick had gone through a few ideas, including ones to honor to his family.
“I wanted something that stands out,” Rick said.
Meanwhile, Judi had a cousin who was always saying “for heaven’s sake.”
“It was just a catchphrase of hers, and Rick just took it and put a play on the words,” Judi said.
Rick added that he was also inspired by comic strip character Snuffy Smith, who would say, “Fur heaven’s sake!”
Working as a team
The Postells said that without their team, they wouldn’t be able to do what they do for families. Their team of workers and volunteers include the Fierro family – Johnny Sr., Johnny Jr., Marie and Angelo – Natalie Smith, L.B. and Mary Adams, and Judi’s father, George Bryson.
While the farm is only open to the public for about a month each year, the upkeep is year-round. In spring, they plant new trees, and this spring they planted 650 – more than twice as usual since the farm was getting depleted. They sold 336 trees last year.
“The last three years really surprised me,” Rick said.
Half of his customers
are local, the other half visitors. He has had people from Texas and Jamaica buy a tree to decorate their winter homes or rentals. Many customers are from north Georgia, Tennessee and Florida.
Last year, the Postells decided to create a board for their business, just in case anything happened to them. It includes themselves and two people who have been with them at the farm for six years – brother and sister Johnny and Marie Fierro. Rick said Johnny had shown an interest in learning all about the different trees as he helped him in the field.
Rick said he’s had offers from people wanting to purchase large amounts of trees, but he has refused because he wants his farm to remain a family experience.
“I’m not a wholesale dealer, I’m a choose and cut,” Rick said.
To which Judi added, “Come have some fun.”