JOHNSTOWN - Avery Tree Farm, a perennial provider of Christmas trees, is slowly phasing out the business and selling the subdivided land to individuals.
The 59-acre parcel in Johnstown, near the intersection of Route 29A and County Road 122, has been split into nine lots, according to plans submitted to the town Planning Board. Two of the subdivisions already have been sold to private buyers, said Avery Tree Farm owner John Avery.
But the trees are still growing, and Avery Tree Farm is still in operation, though slowly winding down.
"We are still in business," Avery said.
He estimated he will farm trees for eight years, or until all nine lots are harvested for usable trees.
About one lot per holiday season would be harvested and become ready for sale to individual homeowners, he said.
The first two already-sold properties are ready for development this year.
The base for a road running through the property has been constructed, and Avery intends to improve it as lots are sold, he said.
The two lots sold by Avery so far were two acres and 13 acres in size. He has two one-acre lots and five lots of various sizes, each averaging about 11 acres.
The tree farm has been providing trees wholesale for local vendors or selling them at the Johnstown Agway store for years.
Avery had owned several tree farms in the area, "five farms, at one time," he said, but has sold them, the most recent the tree farm on County Road 107 in Johnstown, near the Berkshire Volunteer Fire Department firehouse.
In explaining his plans, Avery said, "I originally wanted to build homes on the lots and then sell them. But the bad economy made that impossible."
He then decided to finish selling the trees on the property and sell the land to individual buyers.
"That's our plan for the future, and since I'm getting a little older, that's what we're doing," Avery said.
Edward J. Hunt covers rural news and can be reached at ruralnews@leaderherald.com
