Martell's Northwoods Tree Farm

Our take

Martell’s Northwoods Tree Farm, in Otsego County near Gaylord, packs an unusually wide species selection into what otherwise reads as a fairly compact northern-Michigan U-cut operation. Ten tree types are listed, including Korean fir and Nordmann fir – neither of which shows up often on the tree lists of farms elsewhere in this batch – alongside the more familiar Fraser and Balsam fir.

A reliable opening date, which is rare in this batch

Most farms in this research set had no confirmed 2026 season dates at all. Martell’s is a genuine exception: its stated policy is to open the day after Thanksgiving every year, which resolves to November 27 for the 2026 season specifically. That’s a real, usable planning date rather than a guess extrapolated from last year’s calendar – worth building your first visit around if getting an early pick of the tree selection matters to you. No closing date was found, so don’t assume the season runs all the way to Christmas Eve without confirming.

The weekday hours need real attention

This is the detail most likely to trip up a visitor: weekday hours (Monday through Thursday) run just 3pm to 5pm – a two-hour window, notably shorter than the Friday-Sunday 9am-5pm schedule. If you’re planning to swing by after work on a Tuesday, you need to arrive close to 3pm with real intention, not treat it as a flexible evening stop. Weekend visits give you far more breathing room.

Beyond the trees

The farm sells tree stands and carry-out bags on-site, which is a small but genuinely useful convenience if you don’t already own either. The gift shop also offers coffee, mulled cider, and donuts – a modest but real refreshment stop if you’re making a morning or afternoon of the visit.

What we don’t know

No pricing was published anywhere we checked, and the farm doesn’t appear to have its own dedicated website – our information comes from its Michigan Christmas Tree Association member listing and general web search. That’s a somewhat thinner information trail than farms with their own sites, though the season-opening policy is a solid, confirmed anchor point.

Why the species range is worth planning around

Korean fir and Nordmann fir are both known in the trade for strong needle retention and a fuller, more symmetrical branch structure than some traditional choices, though we’re stating that as general horticultural background rather than a specific claim about this farm’s trees. Having them available alongside Fraser and Balsam fir means a visitor who’s only ever bought whatever a smaller farm happened to stock has real room to compare here – worth a slower walk through the field rather than grabbing the first tree that looks right.

Bottom line

The wide species selection and a confirmed opening date make this farm easier to plan around than many others in this batch, even without pricing information. Just respect the short weekday window – treat this as primarily a weekend destination unless you can hit that narrow 3pm-5pm slot precisely.