Seventy-five year-old Frank Ramsey has been selling Christmas trees since 1958, back when he was in the Boy Scouts.
“I started up again in the 70’s. We have a set up where we can cut our own trees. We have a tree baler where we can bale our own trees. We have our own tractor to move them with,” said Ramsey.
Ramsey has been on the corner of Salina Street and Seneca Turnpike at what is now the Ace Hardware Store, selling Christmas trees to customers for a little over 30 years.
“I’m working on the third generation of people. People who came here as kids now bring their kids. If you sell Christmas trees, you’re going to see a lot of happy, smiling faces. You’re going to see a lot of happy little kids,” said Ramsey.
But Ramsey says the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a major increase in pricing for the Christmas tree business.
“Christmas trees now cost more to buy; they’ve gone way up in price. They cost a lot more to transport and of course, we have to insure them, and the insurance has gone up. Every facet of the business has become more expensive,” said Ramsey.
This year, Ramsey thinks he will sell a couple hundred trees.
Ramsey only gets his trees from across New York because they are freshly cut. He says this year’s crop comes from Tug Hill Plateau.
“We primarily sell only firs; they hold their needles. If they’re watered and taken care of and kept away from the heat, they’ll be good well after the first of the year,” said Ramsey.
Ramsey says he will keep selling as long as he has trees.
“If enough people come today and buy all these trees, I’m all done. We’ll clean it up, pack it up and go home,” said Ramsey.
But whatever he doesn’t sell, he donates to charities.
