Tag: Christmas

The spectacular colors of fall foliage, Christmas trees, and early holiday shopping: these are a few of our favorite things at The Rocks, and we’ll celebrate all of them each weekend from Sept. 29 through Oct. 20 during our tag-your-own Christmas tree season.

As the hills come alive with the crisp air and bright colors of fall, The Rocks welcomes visitors to meander through the fields in search of a perfect Christmas tree. Early tree-seekers may “tag” a tree and return once the farm opens for the Christmas season, from Nov. 17 through Dec. 24, to cut and purchase the tagged tree. When tagging trees, the more personal flair, the better – ribbons, bows, and baubles are welcome. Once again we will be having a contest of decorated trees in the field. The tag your own tree that has the best decorations and is posted on our Facebook page will be given to the family for free. “We started offering a tag-your-own tree season several years ago, and it’s become a favorite time to visit for many people,” said Nigel Manley, longtime manager of The Rocks. “We encourage tag-your-own customers to really dress up and personalize the tree they select so they can find it easily when they return later in the year to bring it home.

There are lots of other things to do this time of year, too – walk along our trails and visit the interactive Maple Museum.” The Rocks will be open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. during tag-your-own weekends, and both shops will be open for shoppers looking to get an early jump on their holiday shopping. “This is a wonderful time of year to shop at The Rocks,” said retail manager Carleen Quinn. “Both the Rocks Marketplace and the Gift Shop are fully stocked, and there’s plenty of time for browsing without that last-minute frenzy of the holidays.” The Marketplace is chockful of USA-made items, including many from local and regional vendors, like beautifully handcrafted bells from New England Bells and Puzzles from White Mountain Puzzles Inc. There is a nice selection of locally made Jelly, Jams, and Honey all made in NH. Whether you’re shopping for grandma or the kids, you’re sure to find the perfect gift here. The Gift Shop at The Rocks is filled with ornaments, holiday decorations, and The Rocks’ own maple syrup. Columbus Day Weekend, Oct. 6-8. The New Hampshire Maple Museum, located in one of The Rocks Estate’s carefully restored historic buildings, will be open for self-guided tours daily during the fall through Oct. 20. The Rocks also boasts a network of pet-friendly walking trails, open daily, year-round, from dawn until dusk. And The Rocks Mobile Tour, with more than a dozen signs throughout the property displaying QR codes, allows visitors to use their smart phones to learn more about the history of the Estate, modern day conservation and management practices, and the different types of Christmas trees grown on the farm. The Rocks is the North Country Conservation and Education Center of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (www.forestsociety.org), a non-profit membership organization founded in 1901 to protect the state’s most important landscapes and promote wise use of its natural resources. The landmark 1,400-acre Rocks includes numerous buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places and offers Agri- and Eco-tourism opportunities throughout the year. For more information please visit www.therocks.org , e-mail [email protected]rg, or call (603) 444-6228.