Like any ag commodity, the price fluctuates wildly year to year. Two years ago, the price was so bad many guys shoved all their trees out with a cat. Growing them is hedging bets because it takes 5-7 years for a tree to mature, so you're guessing the future market. There's a lot more than just sticking a seedling in the ground. The tree have to be sheared and topped every year starting the 2nd or 3rd year. When the price was low, a 6-7 ft noble fir (the most desirable tree and size) was $5-12 ea to the grower, right now there are a few wholesalers paying near $40 ea. Harvest is the biggest growing expense.
Over half the tree ground is literally too steep to get equipment on once it starts raining. For example, ripping stumps out takes a big 4WD tractor ( JD 8 wheeler or cat challenger) and you can only pull the ripper downhill. The tractor can't make it up the slope even with the implement out of the ground, and has to drive around on a road to the top of the field. The helicopters are $400-1500/hr depending on size and other conditions. They will work 15 hrs a day, 7 days a week from Oct 25th to Nov 25th. Lots of choppers come up from Cali for the harvest because almost no farmers here own their own. There are some local heli outfits that do tree spraying and fertilizing for both the xmas trees and timber farms.
Greyson
