A TREE is for life, not just for Christmas!

Well, that’s the philosophy of one family business which has been preparing its forest of Christmas trees for the last decade.

The Bennetts run Festive Trees, based on the edge of Times Territory, and are getting ready for their busy season.

This week dad Robert and his children Sara and Daniel took the WHT on a tour of the trees at Oak’s Cross Farm near Watton-at-Stone.

Robert said: “We’re working on them all year round, they take about 10 years to grow to full size.”

Daughter Sara said the great advantage of having the trees bought at your local farm meant they were much fresher and therefore last longer.

She said: “The big retailers can buy in bulk so cut them in October, they’ll be put in a container and distributed around the country.

“They won’t be as fresh as the moment it’s cut it starts to die.”

Up at the farm, which is located on the A602 at Hooks Cross (look out for the sign which shouts TREES), they grow just two varieties – The Nordman and the Norway Spruce.

Robert said: “The Nordman is the most common tree we sell.

“They hold their needles for a lot longer.”

These trees have much thicker branches and look bushier to the mere amateur.

“They are the most expensive of the two and a fully grown one can be at around �50 (smaller, younger ones obviously cost less).”

He added: “The Norway Spruce is the traditional Christmas tree.

“They had these back when I was a boy.

“They grow faster, so will take about six or seven years to be fully grown and so they’re cheaper, they have the nice smell too.”