Farm owners must be knowledgeable about lots of things ... growing things, marketing things, selling things, and hiring people. They must become accountants, mechanics, biologists, botanists, entomologists, human resource experts, futurists, entertainers, photographers, computer experts, cooks, and a whole lot more!

Employees who work on Real Tree farms have to be good laborers (in all kinds of weather), fast learners, careful workers, good thinkers, good problem-solvers, good sports, and they must learn how to speak with and help customers.

In order to understand the work that must be done, it's important to understand the types of farms that are in operation. In the Real Tree business, there are Choose and Cut operations and Wholesale farms.

On Choose and Cut farms, the customer is allowed to pick his or her Real Tree from the field ... they get to choose the tree that is perfect for their family and harvest it themselves (or with some help from the farm staff). Wholesale farms cultivate and harvest their trees so that they can be sold in stores, nurseries, and at corner markets. Some Real Tree operations do both!

For many growers, farming is a family business. On these farms, the majority of the work is done by the grower and members of his or her family. That doesn't mean that the family does everything. Often, owners of these types of operations hire part-time workers to help customers during the busy holiday season and to help mow or shear.