MILLBROOK — While others were grabbing deals at Black Friday sales, the Cruise family of Dover Plains was at Evergreen Farm on Tower Hill Road continuing a 10-year tradition of picking out their Christmas tree the day right after Thanksgiving.
They weren’t the only ones — Evergreen Christmas Tree Farm owner Richard Phillipps said he usually sells out after just one or two weekends.
Philipps has between 3,000 and 4,000 trees on his property, but only about 400 to 500 are mature enough to sell in any given year.
Zach Elder, right, holds on to a Christmas Tree while his father, Josh, both of Mt. Kisco, New York, cuts the tree down with a handsaw. Photo by Nathan Miller
The demand for Christmas trees has stayed steady, but Philipps said farmers face other challenges that have caused many to shutter operations in recent years.
“The original people, like me, they get old,” Philipps said. “The youngsters don’t want to take over the business and they sell the land. It’s typical of what happens to farmers in general.”
Some families have had to change their traditions, like the Costas family of North Salem in Westchester, New York. They came to Evergreen for the first time last year after 20 years of going to a tree farm that closed.
The Costas family of North Salem, New York, working together to fell their Christmas tree at Evergreen Farm on Friday, Nov. 28. They started coming to Evergreen farm last year because their typical tree farm of the prior 20 years closed permanently.Photo by Nathan Miller
Closures of tree farms like Fabulous Firs in Poughkeepsie have driven more customers to Evergreen Farm. The increased demand at Evergreen creates some strain for Philipps. “It’s always difficult, because customers count on us to stay open,” he said.
Despite the strain, Philipps said it’s rewarding to be a part of families’ holiday traditions, especially the longstanding ones.
“We’ve had the same people coming here for 30 years,” Philipps said. He and his wife, Wendy, said they’ve watched children and families grow up to bring multiple generations through the farm every year.
Evergreen Farms is one of three tree farms in northeast Dutchess County. Other options include Abel's Trees in Verbank and Murphy Crest Farms on Depot Hill Road in Amenia.
New York State Senator Michelle Hinchey buys two books from Oblong Books in Millerton on Thursday, April 23, after inducting the business into the state Historic Business Preservation Registry.
Hermans and Nelson opened Oblong Books in 1975 after graduating from college, finding a home for their bookstore at 32 Main St. Multiple relocations and more than 200 employees later, the business remains a fixture in Millerton.
“We’ve been through thick and thin,” said Dick Hermans. “I think we’ve been successful because we stay involved in the community.”
Employees of Oblong Books and local Town of North East and Village of Millerton officials gathered with State Senator Michell Hinchey on Thursday, April 23, to honor the bookstore’s placement on the New York State Historic Business Preservation Registry.Photo Provided
The designation honors New York businesses that have operated for at least 50 years. Oblong is the first business from Millerton to receive the honor. “Oblong has stood the test of time, even in the age of e-commerce,” Hinchey said. “It has remained authentically true to its mission of human connection.”
In 2001, Hermans opened a second store in Rhinebeck. Hermans’ daughter Suzanna started working at Oblong shortly thereafter, helping the store navigate the newly-imperiled physical market.
“We thought that was going to be the death knell of books,” she said, “but it turns out a physical book is actually a perfect object. You can share it with a friend, or you can keep it for 50 years.”
The bookstore is known not only for its literary inventory, but also for author events, music selections and children’s toys.
The owners’ commitment to community also extends to the nonprofit world: since 2023, Oblong has partnered with the Beacon Prison Books project to provide free books to incarcerated individuals in the region.
E-books are now available on Oblong’s website, too. But the space has largely remained the same, with its weathered wooden floorboards and cozy nooks. There’s a section for music and records upstairs, and Oblong Jr. downstairs for younger readers and toy connoisseurs.
Next time visitors stop by, they will see something new: a window decal bearing the New York State Historic Business Preservation Registry logo.
Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.
