By Julie Tomascik
Editor

A new picture book takes readers to a family farm where holiday traditions and agriculture grow side by side.

Our Christmas Tree Farm, written by Lisa Amstutz, invites young readers to experience the magic of Christmas tree farming through the eyes of 7-year-old Kate, who helps her family care for and sell evergreens during the festive season.

It combines the joy of the holidays with accurate agricultural information.

Amstutz drew inspiration from her own childhood.

“When I was growing up, my parents raised Christmas trees on a small acreage,” she said. “We trimmed, mowed and helped sell the trees every season. It wasn’t a big operation, but it taught us a lot about hard work and caring for the land.”

Those memories shaped Our Christmas Tree Farm, which follows Kate and her family through the busy tree-cutting season. The story highlights responsibility, family traditions and a love for nature.

“I want kids to develop an appreciation for agriculture and nature,” Amstutz said. “Choosing a Christmas tree together or visiting a farm is a special experience that connects families to where things come from.”

The book’s back matter extends learning beyond the story, offering fun facts about tree farming, steps to grow a Christmas tree from a twig and creative ways to reuse real trees after the holidays. Those elements make the title a valuable classroom or library addition for teachers incorporating agriculture into lessons.

Our Christmas Tree Farm is recommended for readers ages four to nine.

“I’m excited for readers to see the hard work and beauty behind every Christmas tree,” Amstutz said.

The book is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and independent bookstores nationwide.

It was released in September 2025 by Feeding Minds Press, the publishing arm of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture.