‘It Takes a Village’: Christmas Tree Farms in Maryland Prepare for the Holiday Season

‘It takes a village’: Christmas tree farms in Maryland prepare for the holiday season

Jerry Fleming drives a green-and-yellow John Deere tractor around Butler’s Orchard, circling the rows upon rows of Christmas trees — planted in fields he personally pulled the stumps from years ago and hand-sheared by him and his co-workers recently as they prepared for the holiday rush. “It’s never cold here — the weather might be cold, but the way we work, it’s never cold,” said Fleming, sporting overalls, a black-and-yellow flannel and sungla…

‘It takes a village’: Christmas tree farms prepare for the holiday season

A vintage truck with the Butler's Orchard logo sits among trees grown on the family farm on Nov. 14. This location is used for late-fall and winter photography sessions. (Photo by Sanya Wason)Jerry Fleming drives a green-and-yellow John Deere tractor around Butler’s Orchard, circling the rows upon rows of Christmas trees — planted in fields he personally pulled the stumps from years ago and hand-sheared by him and his coworkers recently as they …