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Last Christmas, we introduced many Hastings Handbook readers to Spilsted Farm Christmas Trees. There was so much enthusiasm for their festive pines that we head back to catch up with owner Jane Cole and her family. An outing to buy a Christmas tree is much more than a shopping trip if you head to Spilsted Farm. There’s 20 acres of pine plantations, making for a perfect family day out, a chance to summon up some festive cheer in the run-up to the somewhat stressful season. Jane Cole took over managing the Christmas Tree plantation from her father 6 years ago, and now she has her work cut-out. Mother of four with three and a half year old twin boys to look after, she’s well-practised at finding fun-things for children to do around the plantation. While she’s working, selecting and tagging trees for cutting, the boys rush around picking up pine cones and making a big pile. It’s an ideal setting for children to run free. About an acre of the farm’s land with mature trees is used by Tarragon Survival Skills, where the public can spend outdoor adventure weekends. Among the tall pines, recruits can experience living with nature: making fires, orienteering, building a bivvy for an overnight stay, and lots more! This means that the trees are able to provide a wonderful patch of wildlife shelter all year round, with birds nesting in the tree-tops and mice and rabbits burrowing in the ground below. These trees are too big to be cut and decorated – they’ll live out their lives here. |
You can take home any of seven varieties of tree from Spilsted. The most popular are the premium non-drop pines, such as Nordeman Fir with its beautiful sweeping branches and Fraser Fir, thick and bushy with a divine scent. There are many other besides, some with better needle retention, others favoured for their perfume. All are cut at the very last minute, ensuring the trees on sale are fresh as can be – so important for prolonged life once you introduce it to your cosy living room. This year, Spilsted is offering all sorts of bonuses to customers. Jane’s father, who lives on the farm, is a keen pilot, and is offering a free flight to one lucky prize-draw winner. Last year’s winner was Chris Downton, who has enjoyed his flight over the beautiful Sussex countryside this autumn. You can make a voluntary donation to the Air Ambulance Service, and look out for flyers locally: buy a tree and Spilsted themselves will donate £1 to the Air Ambulance if you bring the flyer with you. There’s a family survival course with Tarragon to be won, too – free entry for all customers! And there will be prize draws for five free Christmas trees next year. It’s well worth a trip – even if you’re not shopping for a tree and fancy a jaunt into the countryside to pick up some decorations. For information on survival courses at Spilsted, see www.tarragonsurvival.co.uk |
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Spilsted Farm, Stream Lane |
