Name of business: Tracy’s Trees

Type of business: Christmas tree lot

Location: 1807 Geer Rd., Turlock

Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Sunday

Specialty: Fresh trees

History of business:

There are two types of people during the holidays when it comes to their Christmas trees: those who go the artificial route and those who prefer to place their presents underneath a fresh, aromatic tree. For over 30 years, Turlockers who love authenticity have been able to take their pick from a variety of fresh-cut pines straight from the mountains of Oregon at Tracy’s Trees.

Oakdale cattleman Kirk Tracy first opened the Tracy’s Trees lot at the intersection of Monte Vista Avenue and Geer Road decades ago, but today the seasonal business sits on Geer across from Crowell Elementary School at North Avenue. The family-run business plants around 10,000 diverse trees in Holley, Oregon each year, where they can grow for anywhere between two to 30 years.

Then, they are cut and transported to Turlock just in time for Christmas decorating.

“It’s a good tradition that brings families together when they get to pick out a new tree every year,” Tracy’s granddaughter Rebekah Raleigh said. “When people choose to get a real tree for Christmas, a lot of the reason is because it’s what their family has valued in the past.”

Tree varieties offered at Tracy’s Trees include Douglas fir, blue spruce, Nordmann fir and noble fir. Attendants at the lot can also provide flocking services, for those who want their tree to look like it came straight out of a winter wonderland.

When picking out a real Christmas tree, there are a few things to keep in mind according to Raleigh. For example, if ornaments are heavier in weight, it’s best to select a tree with sturdy limbs that can hold plenty of Christmas cheer. The branches on trees sold at Tracy’s Trees are reliable, she added, as they’re constantly shipping in new, fresh-cut trees from Oregon throughout the season.

While trees come and go on the lot, there’s one thing that remains the same: the customers. Throughout their decades operating in Turlock, Tracy’s Trees has seen the same families return year after year, Raleigh said.

“We’ve built a lot of relationships with customers that have been coming here for generations,” she said. “We’ve grown close with a lot of them.

“We really appreciate the opportunity to see our customers every year.”