A 50-plus-acre farm established in 1970 with full-service cutting, shaking, baling, and loading, but a conflicting online signal about current operating status means this listing needs a phone call before you rely on it.
Howell Tree Farm has been locally owned by the Howell family since 1970, with over 50 acres of evergreens — one of the larger operations found among Des Moines-area farms in this research. That scale, combined with more than five decades of continuous local operation, would normally make this an easy recommendation. One specific, unresolved signal complicates that.
The farm’s own site, fetched directly for this research, describes active preparation for its regular season, referencing a prior-year Saturday-before-Thanksgiving opening pattern that suggests normal, ongoing operation. But a Yelp listing separately flagged the business as “TEMP. CLOSED.” Those two signals don’t agree, and this record can’t responsibly resolve them for you. The most likely explanation is that the Yelp flag reflects the farm’s normal off-season closure between Christmas seasons — a tree farm with no other primary business naturally looks “closed” for eleven months of the year — rather than the farm having shut down for good. But “most likely explanation” isn’t the same as confirmed fact, and this farm carries more operating-status uncertainty than most others in this batch. Call ahead before treating this listing as settled, and definitely before making it the centerpiece of a specific day’s plans.
Following the farm’s stated rule of opening the Saturday before Thanksgiving, 2026 dates work out to Nov. 21 through Dec. 23. Opening day carries extended hours, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., while the regular season settles into 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily — a fairly generous, full-week schedule if it holds, unlike farms limited to weekends only.
Beyond the acreage, what distinguishes Howell in this research is its full-service approach: staff will cut, shake, bale, and load your tree, meaning you don’t need to handle any of the physical labor yourself if you’d rather not. That’s a genuine convenience for visitors without their own saw, or without the interest in doing the cutting themselves. Wreaths are also available.
Tree species are described only in general terms — “beautiful firs” without naming a specific variety, alongside White Pine and a limited amount of Scotch Pine — so if a particular fir type matters to you, ask directly what’s available this year. No pricing was found anywhere in the sources reviewed either, so budget flexibly and confirm cost, including whether the full-service cutting and baling adds to the price, when you call.
Howell’s scale and full-service model make it an appealing option on paper, but the conflicting operating-status signal is real and specific enough that this record recommends a confirming phone call before you build any plans around a visit here.
The farm's stated rule is opening the Saturday before Thanksgiving, resolving to Nov. 21-Dec. 23, 2026. Opening day hours are 7 a.m.-5 p.m.; the regular season runs 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.
Less hands-on time than a typical cut-your-own farm, since staff will cut, shake, bale, and load the tree for you if you want that full-service option.
Not documented with specific numbers, but a farm this size (50+ acres) established since 1970 likely draws a steady, broad customer base across the Des Moines area.
Not specified in the record.
Not addressed in the sources reviewed.
Skip treating this farm's status as fully confirmed without calling first — a Yelp listing flagged it as 'temporarily closed,' which conflicts with the farm's own site describing active 2026 season planning.
Not documented in the record.
This is genuinely unclear from research. The farm's own site describes active planning for its regular season (referencing prior-year dates for a Saturday-before-Thanksgiving opening), suggesting normal seasonal operation, but a Yelp listing separately flagged the business as 'TEMP. CLOSED.' That flag may simply reflect the farm's normal off-season closure between Christmas seasons rather than a permanent shutdown, but it hasn't been resolved with certainty. Call ahead before visiting or building plans around this farm.
The farm's relative opening rule (Saturday before Thanksgiving) resolves to Nov. 21-Dec. 23, 2026. Opening day runs 7 a.m.-5 p.m.; the regular season is 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.
No. The farm offers full-service tree cutting, shaking, baling, and loading for visitors who don't want to handle those steps themselves.
Described only generically as 'beautiful firs' along with White Pine and a limited amount of Scotch Pine — no specific fir variety was named in sources reviewed.
November 21 – December 23, 2026. Daily. Hours: Opening day 7:00am-5:00pm; regular season 9:00am-5:00pm daily.
Pricing was not published when we last checked.
Yes. It's cut-your-own and choose-and-cut (staff cuts it for you).
3129 Howell Ct, Cumming, IA 50061, in Warren County. It is one of 6 farms we track in Des Moines Region IA.
We track 6 farms in Des Moines Region IA, 6 of which let you cut your own tree. The farm has not published a starting price, so it cannot be compared on cost — call before you budget.
Its season runs about 33 days against a regional average of 27, so it is a notably longer window than most of its neighbours, which takes the pressure off picking a weekend.
What sets it apart locally: it has free netting/baling, which most Des Moines Region IA farms on our list do not.
There are 11 other farms we track in Warren County. All Des Moines Region IA farms →
Map pin is set to the town centre. Navigate to the street address above, not the pin.
howelltreefarm.com
Checked September 2026.