Merry Christmas from The Rocks Estate

At The Rocks, we think the holiday season really is “the most wonderful time of the year!” The farm is bustling with happy activities, as families pick out Christmas trees to bring home for trimming, folks enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides through the Estate, shoppers browse the bursting shelves in our two stores, and the air is filled with holiday cheer.

If you haven’t visited The Rocks yet this season, we invite you to stop by… Both our shops – the Rocks Marketplace and the Farm Store are open daily through Christmas Eve, from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (This Saturday, December 21^st, is the last day for wagon rides.) We’re open for tree sales during those hours, as well. So, whether you still need your perfect Christmas tree or you’re looking for a last minute gift, we’re here to help.

In the meantime, for tips on keeping your Christmas tree farm fresh through the holidays, check out this post on our blog. And if you’re wondering what to do with your tree after the holidays, visit this page of the National Christmas Tree Association’s website for recycling tips – and to see some of the cool ways recycled trees are put to use. 

One final note this holiday season ~ from all of us at The Rocks to all of you, may your days be merry and bright. Happy Christmas!

Happy Christmas, from The Rocks Estate!

From all of us at The Rocks Estate ~ We wish you a very Happy Christmas!

Thanks to all who visited the farm this season or ordered a tree, wreath, or other great items from our online shop. And for you late shoppers, The Rocks will be open through Christmas Eve – so if you haven’t found a beautiful farm fresh Christmas tree yet, c’mon over!

If you’ve already trimmed your tree and are wondering how to get a Rocks Estate fix during the rest of the year, we invite you to visit our New Hampshire Maple Experience at The Rocks, including an interactive museum and a working sugar house. We run Maple Tours in the early weeks of spring, but the Maple Experience museum is open to self-guided tours year-round.

We also have several trails at The Rocks, which are open for meandering and exploration daily. Our new Rocks Mobile Tour allows visitors to use their smart phones to learn more about The Rocks’ history and the property’s current role as the North Country Conservation & Education Center for the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.

So, there’s plenty to explore at The Rocks during the New Year!

Happy holidays!

Keeping your Rocks Estate Christmas tree farm fresh

Once you’ve selected your farm fresh Christmas tree from The Rocks Estate, there are a few things you can do to keep it fresh and fragrant through the holidays. When a Christmas tree is cut, more than half its weight is water, so much of keeping your tree happy involves making sure it’s able to take in the water it needs. Here are some tips from The Rocks for keeping your Christmas tree farm fresh!

* Before you set your tree up, cut the bottom ½-inch from the trunk. Then place your Christmas tree in water.

* Make sure your tree stand is the right size for your tree – and that it can hold plenty of water in the reservoir. Christmas tree stands should provide a quart of water per inch of stem diameter. (You’ll find Christmas tree stands, watering spouts, and other great accessories at the farm or The Rocks' online shop.) * Check the water level regularly to ensure the base of the tree is submerged.

* Keep your tree away from heat sources like fireplaces and radiators to prevent excessive drying.

* Use Christmas tree lights that produce only low heat to prevent drying. Lights should be inspected prior to use and replaced if they are worn. And they should always be turned off when you’re leaving the house or going to bed!

* When you’re ready to bid adieu to your Christmas tree after the holidays, check with your local transfer station on recycling options. Christmas trees should never be burned in a wood stove or fireplace, as they create creosote and can lead to a chimney fire.

For more tips on keeping your tree farm fresh, visit the New Hampshire Christmas Tree’s tree care page.

Mail order, music, magic and more Christmas!

We’re in the full swing of the holiday season at The Rocks Estate

and hope you’ll join us for some fabulously festive fun! From horse-drawn wagon rides and roasted marshmallows to one-of-a-kind gifts and – of course – the most beautiful farm fresh Christmas trees, we have everything you need to get into the holiday spirit.

If you can’t quite make it to the farm to select a tree from our retail lot or choose-and-cut one from our fields, we invite you to visit our online gift shop, where you may order fresh, fragrant Christmas trees, handmade wreaths, ornaments, gifts – everything you need for the holidays! To ensure holiday delivery, Christmas trees should be ordered by December 15^th.

Those who visit us at The Rocks will find plenty to keep them busy and entertained – on the farm and off. A sampling of holiday happenings in Bethlehem includes the Annual Cookie Walk at The Gallery at WREN (yum!) on December 10^th, The Magic of Christmas magic show at the Bethlehem Public Library at noon December 10^th, a guided Full Moon Snowshoe tour at the Adair Country Inn at 5:30 p.m. December 11^th, and Adair’s annual Christmas concert December 17^th. The Inns and Arts Tour of the North Country, featuring the works of local artists and receptions at area inns, runs through December 10^th.

We hope to see you soon ~ and we wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Holiday Shopping at The Rocks Estate

We love Christmas at The Rocks Estate! From our beautiful, fragrant, farm fresh Christmas trees and handmade wreaths, to our two shops and our festive activities, we strive to be a one-stop holiday destination.

While you’re visiting the farm – either in person or at our online shop – we invite you to peruse our fine selection of gifts and holiday decorations. With two shops at the farm, we’re sure you’ll find something for everyone on your list!

Our Rocks Marketplace features Fair Trade offerings and unique items from several New England artisans, running the gamut from pet goods and holiday ornaments to jewelry and home goods.

Our Farm Store showcases some of the goods produced from The Rocks during our other seasons, including maple syrup made from the sap of the sugar maple trees on the farm as part of our New Hampshire Maple Experience. You’ll also find jams and jellies, Rocks t-shirts and mugs, ornaments and decorations. The store also sells The Rocks’ famous birch deer, with proceeds donated to Trees for Troops, and pottery from local artisan (and former Olympic ski racer) Joan Hannah.

We hope you’ll make The Rocks Estate a part of your holidays this year!

Let the Holidays begin!

The Rocks Estate opens for the Christmas tree season November 19^th. We’ll be open daily (except for Thanksgiving Day) through Christmas Eve, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Visitors may meander the farm in search of the perfect Christmas tree to cut or select a pre-cut tree from our retail lot. And if you visited The Rocks earlier this fall to tag a tree, you’re welcome to return now to cut your Christmas tree and bring it home for trimming.

While you’re here, we invite you to enjoy a horse-drawn wagon ride, browse the selection of wonderful gifts and holiday decorations in our shop, and enjoy a cup of cocoa, roasted marshmallows at our marshmallow pit, and freshly popped corn from Kingdom Kernels Kettlecorn Company. Our wreath makers have been hard at work creating and decorating our fresh evergreen wreaths, and we also offer kissing balls and garland for decking the halls in style!

As always, our Christmas trees, holiday wreaths, gifts and ornaments are available at The Rocks and through our online shop. We have everything you need to Deck the Halls this holiday season!

Stay awhile with our Christmas Memory Package

Take a break from all the hustle and bustle of the holidays with our Christmas Memory Package. With a stay at one of the area’s quaint inns or comfortable hotels, a horse-drawn wagon ride through the historic Rocks Estate property, http://therocks.org/history.php and a beautiful farm fresh Christmas tree to bring home, the Christmas Memory Package is a wonderful way to get into the holiday spirit, whether you’re looking for a family celebration or an intimate mountain getaway.

Learn More With Our Mobile Tour

New this season is The Rocks Mobile Tour – combining cutting edge technology with holiday tradition! Our tour uses Quick Response Codes (QR Codes) to relay information about the fascinating history of The Rocks, wildlife habitat and forest management efforts at the property (which serves as the North Country Conservation and Education Center for the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests), and the different types of Christmas trees we grow here.

Simply use your smart phone to snap a photo of the mobile tag at each of the 13 stops along the tour, and you’ll have access to historic photographs and staff knowledge right at your fingertips!

To find out more about what’s happening at The Rocks NOW, check out our YouTube videos and "like" us on Facebook.

Delivering holiday cheer, one Christmas tree at a time

The Rocks Estate will again support Trees for Troops this holiday season. Part of the Christmas Spirit Foundation, Trees for Troops delivers some 17,000 farm fresh Christmas trees to American military personnel and their families each year.

This year, Trees for Troops will deliver its 100,000^th Christmas tree!

The Rocks gives 20 trees to Trees for Troops each year and garners sponsorships from local businesses for an additional 100 Christmas trees. We are one of about 700 Christmas tree farms throughout the country that supports the Trees for Troops mission. Last year Trees for Troops delivered 17,224 trees to 59 military bases, including seven bases overseas.

Beyond donating trees to the program and getting other area businesses involved, The Rocks also sells festive Birch Deer at our shop and at Harman’s Cheese & Country Store in Sugar Hill to raise funds for Trees for Troops.

The fifth grade students at Bethlehem Elementary School help our local efforts each year by writing notes to go on the trees and loading them into the FedEx truck to be shipped to military families.

Trees for Troops is a community effort that extends from our corner of New Hampshire across the country and far beyond. We see it as a way to spread a little holiday cheer – one Christmas tree at a time – and to thank the men and women in our country’s armed services, who often spend the holidays away from home and family.

Merry Christmas to all, whether you’re close to home or far away.

Online shopping - farm fresh trees, wreaths and more!

At The Rocks Estate, Christmas is always on our minds. If the holidays are on your mind, too, we invite you to let the season begin – by browsing our online shop.

We’re already accepting orders on farm fresh Christmas trees, handmade wreaths, and everything else you’ll need to deck the halls this holiday season, from ornaments and fragrant garland to tree stands and wreath hangers. Order your beautiful farm grown Christmas tree now, and we’ll deliver it whenever you wish, from mid-November to mid-December.

We’ve recently redesigned our online shop to make it easier than ever to place your order for the holidays. Our new shop features a streamlined checkout process, wish list feature, and additional shipping options. And for all you smart phone and tablet users, we’ve added a mobile shopping option, too.

To see one of our wreath makers at work, visit The Rocks YouTube page for a wreath making video. You’ll also be able to watch Rocks Estate manager Nigel Manley tag trees in the field to prepare for mail order shipments.

The Rocks is also open weekends from now through October 16^th for folks who’d like to visit the farm in person to tag a tree now and return closer to Christmas to harvest that tree. We open for the regular Christmas tree season November 19^th.

We hope to see you – online or at the farm – this holiday season!