For farms

Balsam Acres

📍 8428 Sharptown Road (Rt 24), Laurel, DE 19956🗓 Season dates not yet published for 2026🏷 From $8

A rural, owner-run choose-and-cut farm off Route 24 with reported per-foot pricing ($8-$11/ft) that would make it one of the more affordable options in the state if confirmed, plus staff help wrapping and loading larger trees.

Balsam Acres in Laurel, DE

How you get your tree

This farm offers

choose-and-cut (staff cuts it for you)

Included

wreaths for saletaggingwrappingloading assistance for tall trees

Reported at $8-$11 per foot in one local-media roundup; not confirmed against the farm's own current pricing.

Our take

Balsam Acres is run by owners Clay and Deborah Crum on a rural stretch of Route 24 in Laurel, and reaching it is worth planning for on its own: turn off Route 13 onto Route 24 at Carey’s Garage and continue about 3.5 miles. That’s not a criticism — plenty of Delaware’s better tree farms sit off the main roads — but it’s a detail worth having ready rather than discovering when your GPS gets confused near the turn.

The pricing looks good, if it holds up

A Delaware Today feature reported per-foot pricing of $8-$11, which is on the more affordable end of what’s documented across this batch of Delaware farms. Doing the arithmetic on exactly those numbers: a 6-foot tree would run somewhere between $48 and $66, and an 8-foot tree between $64 and $88, depending on where in that range the farm actually falls. That’s a meaningfully lower cost than some other farms in this guide, where flat per-tree charges of $65-75 aren’t unusual. The catch is that this figure comes from a local-media roundup, not the farm’s own current price sheet, so it’s a strong data point rather than a guarantee — worth confirming with a phone call before you build a budget around it.

A practical, no-nonsense choose-and-cut operation

Staff cuts the tree once you’ve made your choice, and the record specifically notes that they’ll wrap your purchase and help load taller trees — a genuinely useful service if you’re driving a car rather than a truck and don’t want to wrestle an 8-foot tree onto a roof rack alone. Tree tagging is available if you want to reserve a tree ahead of time, and wreaths are sold on site as well. Tree species are documented only in general categories here — firs, spruces, and pines — without a specific breakdown, so if a particular variety matters to you, that’s worth asking about directly.

One contact detail worth double-checking

There’s a genuine discrepancy in the record: the Delaware Dept. of Agriculture’s official guide lists a different phone number for this farm than the one that shows up on more consumer-facing sites like the growers association listing and pick-your-own directories. Neither source resolves which is current, so if you’re calling ahead to confirm the season dates, hours, or that per-foot price, it’s worth trying the number on this listing first and having the alternate on hand as a backup. Season dates for 2026 weren’t found at all, so the safest approach is a call before you make the 3.5-mile trip down Route 24.

Planning your visit

Best time to go

No 2026 season dates were found; hours are listed as weekends, 9am-5pm, through December. There's also an unresolved phone-number discrepancy between sources, so confirm contact details before you call.

How long to budget

Not documented directly, but wrapping and loading assistance for tall trees suggests a farm set up to move visitors through efficiently rather than one built around a long, activity-filled stay.

Crowds

Not documented, but reported per-foot pricing on the lower end tends to draw value-focused visitors, and weekends-only December hours concentrate whatever traffic the farm gets into Saturdays and Sundays.

Parking

Not documented in the record.

Strollers and accessibility

Not documented. As a rural choose-and-cut farm off a secondary road, expect grass or dirt field terrain rather than paved, level ground.

What to bring

  • Directions in hand: turn off Route 13 onto Route 24 at Carey's Garage and continue about 3.5 miles, since this farm is off the main highway
  • A rough budget using the reported $8-$11/ft range — a 6-ft tree would run roughly $48-66, and an 8-ft tree roughly $64-88, though this isn't confirmed directly with the farm
  • Help arranged for transport if you're buying a tall tree, though staff reportedly assist with loading

How to spend less here

  • If the reported $8-$11/ft rate holds, this is on the lower end of documented Delaware tree pricing — but it's explicitly unconfirmed against the farm's own current pricing, so don't treat it as guaranteed
  • Staff reportedly wrap purchased trees and help load taller ones at no separate mention of a fee, which is worth confirming but could save you from needing your own rope or tarp

Who it suits

Good for

  • budget-conscious visitors, if the reported $8-$11/ft pricing holds up
  • anyone buying a larger tree without a truck, since staff reportedly help load taller ones
  • visitors comfortable navigating to a farm off the main highway, since it's about 3.5 miles down Route 24 from Route 13

Skip it if

Skip Balsam Acres if you need GPS-perfect confidence in a phone number before you call — sources list two different numbers for this farm, and that discrepancy hasn't been resolved.

Worth pairing with

B & B Evergreens in Frankford and Don's Tree Farm in Greenwood are also in Sussex County, both worth considering if Balsam Acres' unconfirmed pricing or contact discrepancy gives you pause.

Common questions

How much does a tree cost at Balsam Acres?

One local-media roundup reported $8-$11 per foot, which would put a 6-ft tree around $48-66 and an 8-ft tree around $64-88. This has not been confirmed against the farm's own current pricing.

How do I find the farm?

Turn off Route 13 onto Route 24 at Carey's Garage and continue about 3.5 miles. It's off the main highway, so having directions ready helps.

What tree species are available?

The record lists general categories — firs, spruces, and pines — without itemizing specific species for this farm.

Is there a discrepancy in the farm's contact information?

Yes. The Delaware Dept. of Agriculture guide lists a different phone number than the one found on more consumer-facing sources. This is unresolved, so double-check the number before relying on it.

When is Balsam Acres open in 2026?

2026 dates had not been published when we last checked. In past seasons it has run: Weekends. Check with the farm before driving out.

How much does a tree cost at Balsam Acres?

Trees start at $8. Reported at $8-$11 per foot in one local-media roundup; not confirmed against the farm's own current pricing.

Can I cut my own tree at Balsam Acres?

Yes. It's choose-and-cut (staff cuts it for you).

Where is Balsam Acres?

8428 Sharptown Road (Rt 24), Laurel, DE 19956, in Sussex County. It is one of 13 farms we track in Delaware.

How Balsam Acres compares in Delaware

We track 13 farms in Delaware, 6 of which let you cut your own tree. At $8 to start this one sits below the regional median of $45, undercutting 3 of the 4 priced farms we track here.

One caveat worth repeating: this farm had not published its 2026 dates when we last checked, while 6 of the 13 farms we track in Delaware had. Treat any date you see elsewhere as last year's until the farm confirms it.

Other farms near Laurel

There are 7 other farms we track in Sussex County. All Delaware farms →

Quick facts

SeasonSeason dates not yet published for 2026
Days openWeekends
Hours9am-5pm
Starting price$8
Tree typesFirs, Spruces, Pines
CountySussex County
RegionDelaware

Sources

facebook.com · pickyourownchristmastree.org

Checked September 2026.