MADE IN AMERICA: HERITAGE PARK HAS YOUR PERFECT CHRISTMAS TREE

Life on the Christmas tree farm with Mitchell, Nikolas, Carissa and Robin.

In the blink of an eye, La Verne’s Heritage Park has been transformed from a pumpkin patch into a wonderful Christmas Tree Farm now open daily through Christmas Eve.

About 350 fresh and fragrant Noble, Grand and Douglas firs from Estacada, Oregon (about 30 miles southeast of Portland) stand ready for final transport to your home for the holidays.

For the past 13 years, Robin Molina, owner of Our Family Tree Company, have overseen farm operations, which include $2 tractor sleigh rides on weekends and a free hay maze for the children, although parents have also been known to duck and bend their way through the puzzle of passageways.

Adjacent to the lot on Saturday, Dec. 11, Heritage Park will also celebrate the 11th Annual Winter Wonderland featuring two 60-foot snow runs and two 30-foot by 30-foot snow play lands (There is a $10 per person registration fee for this popular event.) On Sunday, Dec. 12, the historic Weber House will be open for tours. A band and Christmas carolers will also perform.

“We always try to keep a few different things going on,” added Molina, who doubles as the year-round events coordinator for Heritage Park.

The good news for Christmas tree shoppers is that prices have held steady the past two or three seasons. Prices start at about $48. With each foot added to a tree’s height, the price also rises. “Just in a foot, prices jump amazingly,” Molina explained, noting that the Nobles and Grands remain the most popular.

Part of the proceeds help underwrite Heritage Park’s year-round activities, such as the Concerts in the Park and the recently concluded Pumpkin Patch, which received and entertained about 3,000 local school children.

Of course, the $64 question (which would probably buy you a nice tree), is how do you keep your Christmas tree fresh as the day you bought it?

“We’ve tried all sorts of things,” Molina said. “Aspirin, soda water, sugar. Plain water still works best. The main thing is you don’t ever want the bowl to go dry. If it does, the tree seals up and won’t drink the water. So take home your tree, water it down, fill up the bowl and keep a very close eye on it.”

It takes plenty of helping hands to run a Christmas tree farm. On the Saturday season opener, Molina’s son Mitchell, nephew Nikolas and niece Carissa were arranging trees, sweeping up loose straw, feeding Delilah and Shadow (two oversized puppies) and tending to other chores. In-laws were also making their way from Arizona to help keep the farm looking tidy and festive for the holiday season.

Although Molina lives in a large and comfortable home in Upland, she said nothing quite compares to life on the Christmas tree farm.

“It’s a wonderful jewel,” she said in reverent tones. “It’s so family! You come here. You can take beautiful pictures. You can go to the park. You can squeeze through the maze. On certain days, you can do the tractor rides and tour the house. It’s Christmas.”

Heritage Park is located at 5001 Via De Mansion. Weekend hours are 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Weekday hours are from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. For more information, go to laverneheritage.org or call (909) 593-2862.

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