I’ve heard of this Christmas festival for the last couple of years, however we had been unable to attend before this year. As hectic as the month of December can be, I was determined to fit this in. I was a little hesitant after our experience with the lights in Natchitoches. Everyone I’ve spoken to has raved about it and we were beyond disappointed. The biggest thing was the amount of trash that literally covered the streets. It was bad enough for one of my 3 year olds to say, “It’s so messy, Mommy!”
Anyway, I had hopes for Grant’s Tree Farm to be a better family event for us and it truly was fun. We made it for the last weekend of the festival and although “festival” may be a strong word, it was great for the kids! One of the neatest things is the ability to tag your tree and cut down a fresh one for Christmas!
They had an area to visit with the goats that the boys really enjoyed. That guy in the middle would wait until someone used a pulley system below to raise food directly to him. I found that rather entertaining. We were able to then climb a ladder to get closer to the goats that enjoyed hanging out up high.
They provide a fun little hay ride around the grounds for a small additional cost. Their property is quite nice and the trees in all different stages of growth add to the beauty.
Charley enjoyed harassing Will a bit with the hay. I had to capture that moment, because I always find it so funny the way Charley enjoys these little moments of irritation.
The boys had a great time on the hay ride as you can see. Along the way I looked into the woods where there was a large puddle. There was a little alligator laying in the puddle. I instantly started getting excited an pointing it out to the kids. Charley informed me that it wasn’t real, but I’m still not sold on that. It looked extremely real, and we are in Louisiana!
This kiddo has a very sweet side. Add the camera and he will ham it up for you for as long as you let him!
After our hay ride we went walking through the rows of trees. The boys allowed me to snap a couple of pictures before they went off to do what they really wanted to do, you’ll see in a moment.
They also offer horse drawn carriage rides throughout the trees, I just love it!
And here it is…No outdoor event of any sort is complete for my boys without a sword fight.
The farm also produces their own maple syrup. They use this mule to squeeze the juices from the sugar cane. I love the old fashioned method! Then they boil it and finish the process.
The farm also provided a number of play areas for the kids and some kid friendly zip lines. They had a few vendors selling their goods, as well. We left there all smiling and I was so glad it was a good experience. We’ll definitely visit them again next year!
~Melissa
