For farms

Ellms Family Farm

📍 468 Charlton Road, Ballston Spa, NY 12020🗓 Season dates not yet published for 2026🏷 Pricing TBD

Free admission to the tree fields, complimentary trolley rides, and tree shaking to remove loose needles make this a well-rounded visit, even though per-tree pricing itself wasn't published anywhere checked.

Ellms Family Farm in Ballston Spa, NY

How you get your tree

This farm offers

cut-your-ownchoose-and-cut (staff cuts it for you)

Included

trolley rideshot cocoa standtree shakingtree netting/balingtree drilling

No admission fee to access the Christmas tree fields; per-tree pricing not published in sources checked

Our take

Ellms Family Farm is better known regionally for its fall pumpkin patch and corn maze, but it also runs a well-regarded Christmas tree season that stands out for one specific, verified fact: there’s no admission fee to access the tree fields, in contrast to the farm’s paid fall activities. That’s a genuine, farm-specific detail worth knowing, not a general assumption about how tree farms work.

What free admission actually gets you

Beyond skipping an entry fee, the record confirms a real list of included extras: complimentary trolley rides out to the fields, hot chocolate, tree shaking to remove loose needles before you take the tree home, baling, and drilling for a stand. Tree shaking in particular is a specific, useful detail — it’s a mechanical service that removes needles that would otherwise fall inside your house over the following weeks, and having it available at no extra charge is a real convenience worth calling out.

Three species, cleanly named

Fraser fir, Balsam fir, and Concolor fir are the three varieties confirmed here — a manageable, clearly stated selection rather than either a single-species field or an overwhelming list. If you have a preference among the three, this record gives you enough to plan around without needing to call ahead just to find out what’s growing.

The one real gap: per-tree pricing

Despite all of that detail, no per-tree pricing was found in either the farm’s own Christmas Trees page or the regional tourism sites checked. For a farm that publishes this much other operational detail, that’s a specific, notable silence — worth closing with a call to 518-884-8168 before you assume a number based on nearby farms’ pricing, since none of that would be based on anything Ellms itself has published.

The season length caveat

The hours found — “now until December 15, 2025” — were explicit to that particular year, so the record correctly avoids projecting a 2026 date from it rather than assuming an identical calendar. The farm is closed Monday and Tuesday, with shorter weekday hours (10:30am-4:30pm) and a longer weekend window (8:30am-4:30pm) in the season checked. Confirm ellmsfarms.com’s current listing before building a trip around a specific date, since both the season length and its exact hours could shift year to year.

The bottom line

Ellms offers one of the more complete, value-added Christmas tree experiences in this batch — free field access, trolley rides, tree shaking, and a clear three-species choice — undercut only by the absence of a published per-tree price. A short call closes that last gap and lets you plan the rest of the visit with confidence.

Planning your visit

Best time to go

The 2025 season ran hours from 'now until December 15, 2025' — specific to that year, so 2026 dates were not assumed; check ellmsfarms.com for the current season before visiting.

How long to budget

Not documented directly, but complimentary trolley rides to the fields plus tree shaking, baling, and drilling suggest a fuller visit than a quick cut-and-go.

Crowds

Not documented directly, but a well-regarded regional agritourism farm known for both its fall pumpkin patch and its tree season likely draws a broad crowd, especially on weekends given closed Tuesdays limit the farm's total open days.

What to bring

  • No saw or hauling gear required — trolley rides, tree shaking, netting/baling, and drilling are all included, per the record
  • A phone call to 518-884-8168 or a check of ellmsfarms.com for current-year hours and any per-tree pricing
  • A species preference in mind, given the choice of Fraser fir, Balsam fir, or Concolor fir

How to spend less here

  • There is no admission fee to access the Christmas tree fields, unlike Ellms' paid fall pumpkin and corn maze activities, per the record
  • Trolley rides, hot cocoa, tree shaking, baling, and drilling are all included at no extra charge mentioned

Who it suits

Good for

  • Visitors who want free admission to the tree fields, unlike the farm's paid fall pumpkin activities
  • Anyone who wants tree shaking included, to remove loose needles before the drive home
  • Families already familiar with Ellms' fall pumpkin patch who want to return for the Christmas season

Skip it if

Skip assuming 2026 hours match the 2025 season exactly — the specific dates found ('now until December 15, 2025') were tied to that year, so check the farm's current calendar before visiting.

Worth pairing with

Located in Ballston Spa, Saratoga County, in the Capital Region, and better known regionally for its fall pumpkin patch and corn maze — a natural pairing with other Capital Region farms in this directory.

Common questions

Is there an admission fee for the Christmas tree fields?

No. The record notes there's no admission fee to access the tree fields, unlike Ellms' paid fall activities such as the pumpkin patch and corn maze.

How much does a tree cost?

Not published in the record. No per-tree pricing was found in any source checked, so call 518-884-8168 or check ellmsfarms.com before visiting.

What tree species are offered?

Three named varieties: Fraser fir, Balsam fir, and Concolor fir.

What are the hours?

The 2025 season ran Wednesday-Friday 10:30am-4:30pm and Saturday-Sunday 8:30am-4:30pm, closed Monday and Tuesday. 2026 hours were not yet published when this was checked.

When is Ellms Family Farm open in 2026?

2026 dates had not been published when we last checked. In past seasons it has run: Wednesday-Monday (closed Tuesday). Check with the farm before driving out.

How much does a tree cost at Ellms Family Farm?

Pricing was not published when we last checked. No admission fee to access the Christmas tree fields; per-tree pricing not published in sources checked

Can I cut my own tree at Ellms Family Farm?

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

Where is Ellms Family Farm?

468 Charlton Road, Ballston Spa, NY 12020, in Saratoga County. It is one of 2 farms we track in Capital Region NY.

Other farms near Ballston Spa

Quick facts

SeasonSeason dates not yet published for 2026
Days openWednesday-Monday (closed Tuesday)
HoursWed-Fri 10:30am-4:30pm; Sat-Sun 8:30am-4:30pm (2025 season; 2026 hours not yet published)
Starting priceNot published
Tree typesFraser fir, Balsam fir, Concolor fir
CountySaratoga County
RegionCapital Region NY

Directions

Open in Google Maps ↗

Map pin is set to the town centre. Navigate to the street address above, not the pin.

Sources

ellmsfarms.com · discoversaratoga.org · saratoga.com

Checked September 2026.