Christmas tree farmer lifts the lid on the highs and lows of his grueling job

With the holiday season in full swing, Christmas tree farms across the globe have been abuzz with families on the hunt for the perfect one to bring home.

But what goes on at Christmas tree farms when it’s not the merriest time of year?

Justus Bischoff, 22, has worked at a Christmas tree farm in Stayton, Oregonfor the last five years, and he explained to the Daily Mail that ensuring families are able to get their trees by Christmas is actually a lengthy process that takes months of preparations.

During the spring, he revealed that he’s busy planting trees and shearing them as they grow, and in early summer, they start preparing for the harvest.

‘From July to September, we tag trees with colored tags that grade them by height and species,’ he explained.

‘Then we move into the harvest season, which is mid-September to December.

‘During harvest, we will be moving equipment (elevators, balers and trailers). We also use a helicopter to bring trees from the field to a clear area for loading into trucks.

‘Then we load trees ranging from 3ft to 20ft into semi trucks for shipment worldwide.’

Justus Bischoff, 22, has worked at a Christmas tree farm in Stayton, Oregon, for the last five years

He explained to the Daily Mail that ensuring families are able to get their trees by Christmas is actually a lengthy process that takes months of preparations

Bischoff, who recently found online fame by documenting his endeavors as a Christmas tree farmer on TikTokexplained to the Daily Mail that he fell into the business by accident.

He was working at a fruit stand after high school when his brother got a job on the Christmas tree farm and couldn’t stop gushing over it.

‘He said that he loved working outside all day, loved the managers and created good friendships with his coworkers,’ recalled Bischoff.

Flash forward to now, five years on, and he absolutely adores his job.

‘(I love) being able to work outside and with your hands all day. It’s peaceful, and the job always feels like Christmas,’ he gushed.

He often showcases the highs and lows of his work online, and has racked up more than 64,000 followers and over two million likes across his videos.

And while there are certainly a slew of pros, Bischoff admitted that there are downsides too.

First, he explained that he has to always stay in shape as it’s a very ‘physically demanding’ job.

During the spring, he revealed that he’s busy planting trees and shearing them as they grow, and in early summer, they start preparing for the harvest

He often showcases the highs and lows of his work online, and has racked up more than 64,000 followers and over two million likes across his videos

He explained that he has to always stay in shape as it’s a very ‘physically demanding’ job

During tagging season his days start in the wee hours of the morning, and he usually walks over 10 miles by midday.

And when it’s harvest time, he has to chop the trees, which are massive and heavy, load them onto helicopters and then onto trucks.

In addition, he explained that he’s usually operating saws or dangerous equipment, so zoning out is never an option.

He also cited long hours and rough weather.

He explained: ‘We’re carrying trees during harvest, ranging from 3ft to 20ft.

‘During the summertime, we work in the heat and walk around 10 miles a day. It’s physically demanding.’

While Bischoff admitted that he likely won’t be doing this forever, he has no plans to stop anytime soon and is thankful that it’s brought him a newfound love for the outdoors and of course, Christmas.