Crest Ranch Choose & Cut Christmas Trees

Specialties

Established in 1948, Crest Ranch Christmas Tree Farm is the oldest choose and cut Christmas tree farm in the Western United States. Located above Santa Cruz at the top of 2,600-foot Ben Lomand mountain overlooking the village of Boulder Creek, we have over 50 acres of Christmas trees with over 20 tree varieties.

History

Established in 1948.

CREST RANCH was originally operated as a vineyard. It was first planted in wine grapes in the latter part of the 1800’s.

In 1941 Howard Nielsen purchased the 116-​acre spread, however running a winery didn’t appeal to him. In the late 1940’s, he ripped out the vines, studied tree farming, then imported and planted 10,000 Douglas Fir seedlings from Washington State.

His «tree plantation» was a new approach to producing and selling Christmas trees in California. At that time the standard procedure was to harvest trees growing in natural or wild timber stands. In fact Crest Ranch is the oldest «Choose and Cut» tree farm in the Western United States.

Meet the Business Owner

Fred J.

Business Owner

FRED JENSEN was born in Denmark and immigrated to Canada in the 1950’s. He was involved in the landscape industry in Vancouver until 1961, when he immigrated to California. In 1966 he founded Fred Jensen, Inc., Landscape Contractors, which became one of the largest and most successful organizations in the industry. Fred Jensen, Inc. won the highest national awards for projects such as The Old Mill Specialty Center, Vallco Fashion Park and The Great America Parkway. He sold the corporation to key employees in 1982. Now known as «Jensen Corporation,» it is still very successful. Fred has owned and operated Crest Ranch since 1973.