Wednesday’s high temperatures near 70 degrees in Douglas County seemed far removed from a white Christmas. However, people were already beginning to visit D&E Tree Farm to select their yule tree.

The cut-it-yourself Christmas tree site, located at 7705 Hannah Road, off Georgia Highway 166 in the Fairplay area, will officially open on Thanksgiving Day. Hours will be from noon to darkness on weekdays and 9 a.m. until darkness on Saturday and Sunday.

“We have an excellent crop this year,” said Edward Hertlen, who with his wife, Dee, own the holiday tree business. “Because of the rain, they’ve been growing so fast that we can’t keep them trimmed.”

The farm has two main types of Christmas trees, the Leland Cypress, which sells for $4 per foot, and the Blue Ice, which sells for $3 per foot.

Dee Hertlen noted that growing a Christmas tree from seedling to harvest is a six-year process.

“We usually plant seedlings in January,” she said. “It takes an average of six years to reach a size that can be used for a Christmas tree.”

In addition, she pointed out that the trees don’t just grow in the traditional cone shape that people associate with them. They reach their shape by continuous trimming throughout their lives, she said.

“Some of them grow up and they’re still just not shaped right for Christmas trees,” she said. “These have to be cut down.”

Edward Hertlen said trees cut fresh are much better for the home than trees that are cut and sold at tree lots.

“Some of those trees are cut in October,” he said. “They’re already dry.”

He said he gets a kick out of watching families select and cut their own trees.

“Kids always enjoy it,” he said. “It’s an event for the whole family.”

For those who need help cutting their trees, the Hertlens can lend a hand with the saw. They also put the trees in nets and help load them into or onto the car.

The Hertlens’ advice for live tree owners: “Get the tree into water within an hour. Make sure you always keep plenty of water in the stand and check the wiring on your lights.”

Oh, yeah. If you have a cat in the house, as the Herlens do, you should make sure it’s not drinking up all the tree’s water.