How to Chop Your Own Christmas Tree in Los Angeles

Christmas is a few days away and for those who love fresh trees, it’s time to go Christmas tree-shopping. In the past few years we’ve used an artificial tree, but recently we’ve learned that we could chop our own Christmas tree in Los Angeles. That’s right, you don’t have to drive out to the mountains to grab a fresh cut tree.  

There’s actually a few places in the Los Angeles area that allows you to cut down your own tree. We discovered a beautiful family-owned farm with 10 acres of live, fresh, fragrant Monterrey Pines in Yorba Linda. Richfield Pines has been around since 1977, providing many local families magical traditions to look forward to every Christmas season.

Once we determined which farm to visit, we realized we needed a truck to bring home our beautiful tree. Thanks to my partnership with Chevrolet, they provided us with their all-new 2019 Silverado 1500 to test drive during this magical experience.

About the All-New 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ

Now before we dive into the chopping experience, let me share what’s new with the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, because you’re going to want to learn about its newest features. Especially if you’re thinking about buying a new truck.

If you follow Glamping Vida on Instagram, you may already know that we currently own an older Chevrolet Silverado 2500 to pull our RV trailer, La Paloma. As you can imagine, the Fiancé was beyond excited to compare and drive the all-new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ. I mean, who isn’t excited to drive a new vehicle, right?

One feature we noticed immediately was the Silverado got redesigned from the ground up. It has more of a longer, stronger, and tough-like look. It’s larger in almost every dimension, including a wheelbase that is up to 3.9 inches longer and an overall length that is 1.6 inches longer, enabling more cargo volume and more interior room for all cab lengths. So it made us wonder if it would be harder to drive? But it wasn’t, because it turns out that the new Silverado is up to 450 pounds lighter than the previous model. Which makes it even easier to manage, especially when you’re towing something. 

More space in the Silverado 1500 also means more room in the cab. Your passengers will feel comfortable sitting in the back. Not only do they have plenty of room to stretch out their legs, but they also get to warm up their bottoms when the temperatures drop outside. As you can see, Chandon loved the area as well. If you have pets, they also offer interior features with durable vinyl. It makes it easy to clean up hair and messes, as dog owners may already know. 

My personal favorite Chevrolet Silverado 1500 new features obviously involve technology. Such as their Rear Vision Camera, which allows you to see what’s behind the truck. This was super appreciated considering our view was slightly blocked from the big tree. Other geeky features included:

• Heated steering wheel 
• Keyless open and push-button start 
• Power up/down tailgate, plus its super light as well. 
• 4G LTE  WiFi Hotspot connectivity
• Chevrolet Infotainment  system with an enhanced 8-inch-diagonal color touchscreen. The system features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone projection compatibility, advanced voice recognition, in-vehicle apps and personalized profiles

So how does the Silverado compare to the previous trucks? I think we can agree that there’s no comparison. The fiancé is in love and so am I. Well enough about the Silverado, let’s get into the chopping tips. 

Christmas Tree Chopping Tips

Being that this was our first time chopping our own Christmas tree, we wanted to share a few tips that helped us through the process. This list may come in handy if this is your first time chopping down your own tree. 

Be prepared: Always make sure to measure the space in your home so you know exactly what size tree will fit as you pick one out.  Don’t forget to leave enough room for the tree topper!

Stay warm: Bundle up, wear boots and bring a pair of gloves to make sure you stay warm when chopping down your tree. Whether it’s snowing or wet outside, be sure to bring a piece of cardboard to kneel on while you cut your tree down.

Choose Wisely: Most tree farms have a lot of options to choose from, so take your time and inspect the trees before you pick one out. The National Christmas Tree Association recommends testing out the branches to make sure the tree isn’t too dry or unhealthy.

Chop Chop: Cut your tree low to the ground and straight across. Have a buddy pull the tree slightly away from the side you’re cutting to prevent the saw from binding and make it easier to cut all the way through.

Use netting: All trees should be put into netting or a sleeve for easy transport.

Stump first: Put the stump-end of the tree towards the front of your truck to help mitigate movement within the bed of the truck.

Tie it down tight: Center your tree in the bed of the truck, loop twine through the integrated tie-down hooks and repeat to cinch with a “figure-8” motion securing the tree. In the 2019 Silverado, there are 12 fixed tie downs stationed throughout the bed of the truck to help you secure the tree from moving around while you drive.

Tailgate up: The best way to transport your tree is with the tailgate up. If your tree is bigger than your truck bed, you can transport it with the tailgate down – just make sure to tie a red ribbon on the end of the tree so drivers behind you can see it and follow local laws about items extending beyond your vehicle.

Don’t forget to water your tree: Make sure you put your tree into water immediately when you get home and place it away from heat sources like fireplaces or radiators that can dry it out. The tree will drink up a lot of water the first couple of days so make sure to check on the water level throughout the season. That way you can keep it alive and healthy all holiday season long!

We hope these tips were helpful. In fact, please share your photos with us. Tag us on social media or comment below if you have additional tips! 

Happy Holidays from Lala, Frank, Lady, Moet & Chandon!