Christmas tree types at Blackjack Farm Christmas Trees: Winter activities and services at Blackjack Farm Christmas Trees: Cut your own Farm photos.

• Jack's Creek Farm is participating in the Christmas Spirit Foundation's Trees For Troops program. We have pledged 15 trees to be sent from our Christmas Tree Farm to the United States Troops all over the world. Stop by and purchase a tree to be sent to a U.S. Soldier this year for only $35! For more information, visit wwww.treesfortroops.org.
• Blackjack Farm Christmas Trees, 3331 Highway 231 S., Deason; 931-437-2573 Cut your own white pine at Blackjack Christmas Tree Farm. Cost is $40 per tree and saws are provided.

The holiday season is here, which means it’s time to find your perfect tree, and spend time with your family giving it that holiday flair you love.

Christmas tree shopping can be a yearly tradition that brings your brood together and provides you with precious memories.

Finding the perfect place to pick you tree doesn’t have to be a challenge—especially if you’re in Tennessee.

Check out our top 4 picks for Christmas tree farms in Tennessee.

Country Cove Christmas Tree Farm

1189 Cut Off Road, Murfreesboro, TN

35 miles north of Murfreesboro, Tennessee sits this 35-acre farm, filled with a multitude of Christmas tree varieties.

If cutting down your own tree is family tradition, Country Cove can supply you with a saw and a number of uncut trees. Country Cove offers White Pine and Leyland Cypress, which is perfect for allergy sufferers.

If you’d prefer a pre-cut tree, you can choose from their variety of Fraser Firs, ranging from five to twelve feet tall.

And the holiday must-haves don’t stop with the tree at this great farm.

Head to the holiday shop and peruse their wreaths, enjoy a complimentary hot cocoa or cider at their refreshment bar, or take a hayride around the property.

When it’s time to leave, Country Cove’s team will shake, bale and load your tree onto your vehicle for you, even supplying the super-durable string.

Blackjack Farm Christmas Trees

3331 Hwy. 231, Shelbyville, TN

Head to Shelbyville to scout your own breathtaking White Pine Christmas tree at Blackjack Farm.

For just $35, you can choose any tree on the farm no matter how big or tall.

You’ll need to bring your own tools for cutting and have a vehicle to haul it, but you can’t beat the price.

Bluebird Christmas Tree Farm

985 Brushy Valley Road, Heiskell, TN

Just 20 minutes from downtown Knoxville is the Bluebird Christmas Tree Farm, which offers an impressive selection of trees and many sizes to suit your needs.

Bluebird offers Fraser Firs, Arizona Cypress, Leyland Cypress, Virginia Pine and Norway Spruce.

All standard-sized trees (which will fit under an 8-ft. ceiling) are $45. Table top trees are $20.

Bluebird also offers taller trees for those who have taller ceilings or want to decorate outdoors.

Don’t miss out on the gift shop or the pavilion on the property, where you can purchase local jams and sorghums, enjoy hot cocoa or sit by the roaring fire.

Wildwood Christmas Tree Farm

286 La Paloma Road, Woodbury, TN

Head to Woodbury, Tennessee for some time on this family-owned farm.

Perfect for a family outing, the Wildwood Christmas Tree farm offers a treehouse play area, crafts and hayrides, to keep the little ones happy throughout your visit.

You can also choose from a variety of trees, including White Pine, Canadian Hemlock, and Norway Spruce, which you can cut yourself.

There is also a number of pre-cut trees that you can load up and take home, all of which are Fraser Firs.

Stop in at the Wildwood Treasures Gift Shop to peruse the farm’s selection of one-of-a-kind handcrafted items and gifts.

They also offer free hot cocoas and coffee, so you can stay warm and cozy while you choose your tree.

Give the Gift of Land This Holiday Season

If you’ve dreamed of owning your own farm and growing your own Christmas tree, your dream can become a reality this year.

Hurdle Land and Realty offers breathtaking pieces of land that are perfect for planting, growing, raising livestock, hunting or fishing.

Contact Hurdle to learn more about our inventory today.

If you're looking for a fresh-cut Christmas tree this year, you might have a hard time finding one.

Some tree farms and pre-cut sales are already running low on inventory this year, while others have already sold out.

Jennifer Stansberry with Martin’s Home and Garden in Murfreesboro said she’s seen the store’s stock get low “quicker than usual” this year.

A week after Thanksgiving, the Christmas tree lot was bare, although a new shipment of 150 Fraser firs from North Carolina arrived Thursday morning. Wildwood Christmas Tree Farm in Woodbury closed by the end of Thanksgiving weekend and the pre-cut lot run by local Boy Scouts closed early, too.

Buying a real Christmas tree this year?: Take care of it with these tips

Part of the shortage is due to COVID-19, but not for the reasons you might think.

'Looking for holiday spirit'

“I’ve been seeing people putting up Christmas decorations, in general, super early. With the pandemic and craziness and negativity, people are looking for holiday spirit, that spark of joy. People are excited about a happier season,” Stansberry said.

Country Cove, Rutherford County's only cut-your-own Christmas Tree Farm, saw its biggest opening weekend yet, said owner Jan Steiner.

'I think a lot of it's tradition. Some people cut trees down as child and want to create that memory with their new family,' Steiner said. 'But I think COVID has a little to do with it ... and we've made Country Cove as safe as we possibly can, instead of closing, which was the other option.'

Strict COVID-19 safety guidelines are in place this year at Country Cove. Guests are requested to social distance at least 6 feet, wear masks and keep groups to six or less people. There won't be any hayrides or treats this year, either.

Other safety guidelines to protect guests and workers are outlined at countrycovetrees.com.

Blackjack Christmas Tree Farm, located just over the Rutherford County line in the Bedford County community of Deason, has seen an influx of new customers this year.

'I think we've had more people come out because it's an outdoor experience. It's something to go out and do as a family,' said Heather Hoffstetter, whose family has owned the cut-your-own tree farm since 1979.

Along with providing customers with a saw to cut a tree, Blackjack Farm gives out candy canes and hot chocolate. It's also pet friendly. Hoffstetter said you'll often see customers with their dogs running through the 21 acres of 5- to 7-foot white pines.

Blackjack Christmas Tree Farm Shelbyville Tn

'We can't plant fast enough'

There would be more available at Blackjack, but the drought in 2008 took 3,500 trees, Hoffstetter said. So it's taken a while for the inventory to build back, she noted.

Steiner said Country Cove also lost hundreds of trees from the same drought.

'We can’t plant enough and plant fast enough on the choose and cuts,' Steiner joked.

Stansberry said hurricanes over the summer wiped out a lot of the inventory from the North Carolina farm where Martin's gets Fraser firs.

“Any Christmas tree growers in the Southern United States have had problems,” Stansberry said.

However, Country Cove has not seen a shortage of Frasers this year.

'We were able to get pretty much all the trees we ordered,' said Steiner, who expects to have Frasers for sale throughout the weekend.

Where to find fresh cut, live trees for sale

►Country Cove Tree Farm, 1189 Cut Off Road, Murfreesboro; 615-848-8564

Hours through Dec. 20 are 2-7 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. The farm provides saws and measuring sticks for customers, and each is sanitized after use. For more details, follow on Facebook or visit countrycovetrees.com.

Varieties include pre-cut Fraser and Turkish firs, white pines, Carolina Sapphires, Leland Cypress and Norway spruce. Depending on the type and size of tree, cost ranges from $48 to $200. Fraser firs are in high demand and can be reserved by emailing countrycovechristmastreefarm@gmail.com.

Blackjack Christmas Tree Farm

Country Cove's Christmas shop is open, too, although there will be a limited number of people allowed inside at one time. But all swags and wreaths are special order only.

►Martin's Home & Garden, 1020 NW Broad St., Murfreesboro; 615-867-7121

Martin’s is selling premium Fraser firs that start at $79.99 for a 6- to 7-foot tree up to $159.99 for 9- and 10-foot trees. Wreaths and garland are available as well and vary in price.

►Blackjack Farm Christmas Trees, 3331 Highway 231 S., Deason; 931-437-2573

Cut your own white pine at Blackjack Christmas Tree Farm . Cost is $40 per tree and saws are provided. Only cash or check will be accepted. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday through Christmas.

More places to find live trees

Blackjack Christmas Tree Farm

• Kroger stores, throughout Rutherford County.

• Home Depot, 1750 Old Fort Parkway, Murfreesboro and 551 President Place, Smyrna.

• Lowe's, 1825 Old Fort Parkway, Murfreesboro and 410 Genie Lane, Smyrna.

• Amazon.com for Balsam firs

How to care for a live Christmas tree

• When you get home, immediately make a straight cut across the base of the trunk about a half-inch from the end so the tree can take up water.
• If you won't be decorating your tree for several days, store it in water and put it in the garage or on a cool porch to protect it from the sun and wind.
• Use a tree stand that holds plenty of water. Depending on size, trees may need up to 1.5 gallons of water in the first 24 hours. Check the water level daily.
• Do not let the water in the stand get below the bottom of the trunk. Cut trees will form a sap seal if left without water for more than a few hours. A fresh cut will need to be made to keep it alive.
• Keep trees away from heat sources. Check lights for frayed cords or cracked sockets. Unplug lights when leaving home and before going to bed.

Reach reporter Nancy DeGennaro at degennaro@dnj.com and follow her on Twitter @NanDeGennaro.

This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Searching for live Christmas trees in Rutherford County? They might be hard to find