Oct 2026: The farm had not posted its 2026 dates when this was written. Check its website or call before you go.
Shale Hills Farm At A Glance...
- Every tree is hand sheared, 7 to 12 times, so you can choose from wide, narrow, full or open shapes.
- The farm's trees have won Best of Show two years in a row at the New Jersey State Fair.
- A free Christmas movie theater is set up in the hayloft of the barn, according to the farm's site.
- Farm animals live in the heated lower level of a restored 19th century barn.
- The farm planted its first seedling in 1961, so many families have cut their trees here for generations.
- Todays Sunrise: 6:38 am, Sunset: 4:46 pm
- New Jersey Skylands Region Sussex County
About Shale Hills Farm
Shale Hills Farm is a family farm in Sussex County where you walk the fields, choose a tree and cut it yourself. The farm hand shears every tree, so you get a wide choice of shapes, from wide to narrow and full to open enough for ornaments. Pines, spruces and firs are all grown here. Saws are available to borrow, and you are welcome to bring your own (the farm suggests a bow saw). Power saws are not allowed.
The farm's site advertises free Santa visits, a free Christmas movie theater in the hayloft of the barn, and farm animals living in the heated lower level of the restored 19th century barn. The Picture Tour page also shows a pond, a tire swing and a pet goat named Becka.
The farm wraps small and medium trees and gives you free twine to tie your tree on your vehicle. Staff are not permitted to tie it on for you. Large, dense trees cannot be wrapped, so a pickup truck makes loading much easier.
The farm is on Pond School Road. From Route 23 North, turn left at the diner onto Pond School Road and go 1.2 miles. The farm is on the right.
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Farming:
- Christmas Tree (cut your own)
- Pick Your Own
Attractions:- Animals
Contact / Location
A Brief History
Shale Hills Farm planted its first evergreen seedlings in 1961. Owner Mike Garrett says Christmas trees started by accident: when his father bought the farm, one steep section was eroding, and the county agricultural agent suggested planting evergreens to hold the soil. Word got out about the field of pines, and the farm's site says so many people came for trees that the state police sent a patrol to find out why the quiet road had a traffic jam.
The early trees were mostly the scraggly Charlie Brown kind. As tastes changed, the farm moved from pines to a wider mix of spruces, firs and pines, and now shears each tree every year over its 8 to 12 years of growth. Over the years the farm has also raised beef cattle, pigs, corn, hay and greenhouse tomatoes.
Tips and Tricks
Bring a pickup truck if you have one, and enough helpers to move and load a large tree. The farm has limited staff and gets busy.
For the best selection, come early in the season.
The farm provides free twine but is not permitted to tie your tree to your vehicle. Put a blanket on the roof of your car first to protect the paint.
Admission & Guidelines
The farm's site lists one price: $140, including sales tax, for any tree regardless of size or type. The page shows no year, so confirm the price when the 2026 season opens. The farm is cash only and cannot accept credit or debit cards.
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Nearby Places
- Shale Hills Farm (~0 miles)
- Andersen Farms (~1 miles)
- Beaver Hill Campground (closed) (~2 miles)
- Cava Winery & Vineyard (~2 miles)
- Gingerbread Castle (closed) (~3 miles)
- Hardyston Township Sports and Recreation Complex (~3 miles)
- TreEscape Aerial Adventure Park (~4 miles)
- Ventimiglia Vineyards (~4 miles)
- Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge (~4 miles)
- Wintergreen Christmas Tree Farm (~4 miles)
- Tall Timbers Property Owners (~5 miles)
- Space Farms Zoo & Museum (~5 miles)
Sussex, New Jersey 07461