FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Christmas trees are a beloved holiday tradition, but for one Georgia family, it's a way of life.
The Kinsey brothers, however, will tell you it was trial and error that made their tree farm flourish.
"My dad calls it paying tuition," Andy Kinsey said. "And we've paid a lot of tuition along the way, learning by mistakes basically."
Once a middle school teacher, Kinsey and his brother Kelly grew up on the family's livestock farm where his parents sold chickens. Looking into the future, the pair jumped on the idea of a side project: growing Christmas trees.
"We knew nothing about the Christmas tree business," he said. "We just jumped in with both feet like we're known for doing."
The pair started small, planting first in 2002 and harvesting a few years later. Kinsey said they sold around 100 trees the inaugural year, admitting he knew nothing about advertising at the time.
But the farm developed a following and now sells thousands of trees each season, growing around one thousand trees on site and importing specialty trees as well.
"It went from small and easy to something big and enjoyable," Andy said.
Visitors can opt to cut their own tree down or pick a cut version from the barn, though rooted options are also available for those aspiring to keep the tree beyond the holidays.
It's a labor of love 365 days a years for the brothers and the 50 employees who join the holiday rush. The farm also produces pumpkins and sells garden trees during the off season.
"I love the fact that we created this farm," Kelly Kinsey said. "We built it ourselves with our own hands...and it's very rewarding."
Also rewarding is seeing the visiting families return year after year, a visit to the Kinsey Family Farm becoming its own holiday tradition.
"It's fun to watch people's families grow from a 2-year-old to a 14-year-old...and they come every year," Kelly said.
