Tree farm offers fulfillment to the Prior family, cherished memories for all in Lincoln
So many memories are made gathered around the Christmas tree and for some, like the Rasmussen family, those memories are made before ornaments are even placed on the branches.
They’ve come to Prior Pines Tree Farm, near 98th and Holdrege Streets for the last five years.
“We just want to support our local farmers,” Adam Rasmussun said.
On Friday, Nov. 30 they picked out the perfect Christmas tree. They said it had to be not too tall, but full all the way around, with the perfect pine tree scent.
“Getting a real tree is so much more fun and you can arrange it how you want and it smells so much better,” Pozye Rasmussen said.
The owner of Prior Pines, Kent Prior, said that’s his favorite part of the job.
“The satisfaction of people coming out and being happy with what they find, and being able to find a good tree,” Prior said.
He said it makes him thankful for a job he never thought he’d have.
“We happened onto it by moving onto an acreage that already had trees on it,” Prior said. “It had a lot of scotch pines so I trimmed them up and put an ad in the paper and sold 200 of them,” Kent Prior, owner of Prior Pines said.
He said it brought him back to his childhood, he grew up on a farm outside Wuaneta, Nebraska.
In 1998 he bought more land and planted thousands of trees.
They opened in 1994 and he’s been tending to the heard of scotch and white pines ever since.
“It’s just kind of my therapy having grown up on the farm and still liking to do that kind of thing,” Prior said.
There are between 8-10,000 trees on the farm. Prior said they sell around 1,000 every year.
“We’re seeing second generation children that are now adults that are coming out and picking their trees, it’s really gratifying,” Prior said.
It’s turned into a family affair. His daughter makes wreaths to sell; his grandchildren come down every Thanksgiving to help on opening weekend.
All part of the effort to help holiday memories grow.
Prior Pines will be open until Christmas Day. On weekdays they open at 3:00 p.m. and on weekends they open at 10:00 a.m. They always close at dark.
