Try the University of Idaho's Pitkin forest nursery. You can buy nice, containerized seedlings (3 year) for $2.25. (Actually, they are shipped as a un-potted plant with the root ball intact) I bought a few Canaan firs this year, and they look great.

You could also try the New Hampshire State Forest Nursery - You can get 10 seedlings for $15, but I prefer containers for fir. Bareroot firs take a while to establish, only growing a few inches for the first couple years.

Here is a link that might be useful: Frasers from UIdaho

Does anyone know of a nursery that sells Fraser Fir transplants in small quantities?

==>>> how big is your yard????

i would like to consider.. how many you need to plant ... to get a couple 'good' trees in a decade or so ...

i would think at least ten ...

two or 3 will die in the first year or two ...

two or 3 more.. in the next 3 years ... or develop so ugly.. you will kill them ... for lack of space

[actually.. the death of some.. gives you space.. to plant new ones.. a year or two down the line ... to extend your harvest in the out years.. presuming you can plant them 8 to 10 feet apart]

leaving 5 lets say ..

and then 5 to 7 years later.. you can harvest a couple years worth ...

and reduce all numbers if you have deer ...

if you are thinking.. you can plant one.. and win on the odds.. well you are a supreme tree grower ...

so.. in my world.. i would order 10 to 25 ... for $20 ... realizing the odds of failure ... rather than buy 2 or 3 at $15 a piece.. if you get my concept ... [and by the way.. in a 25 pack ... 20 will be nice seedlings .. and 5 runts] ...

all that said.. do NOT let it stop you.. live your dream ... maybe you can do it with one or two ...

ken

ps: and if you have the room ... you would plant 5 this year.. and in 3 years.. plant 5 more.. etc .. no use planting 20 all in one year.. unless your mansion needs 20 trees during ONE Xmas ... think of the time line ...

Here is a link that might be useful: somewhere like this .. dax would probably know other such suppliers

The challenge with those in your area are those damn wooly adelgids or whatever they're called.

Jim - thanks for the links. Those were great prices for potted plants. Do you know of any source that offers bigger trees, preferably seedlings. If not, I will probably go with one of those two sources.?

Ken - Space is not a problem. I have twelve acres to work with. I have grown them before, but deer ARE a problem. I lost every single one of mine five years ago to deer. This time, I am either going to do a mass planting of 100 trees or a smaller planting of 15-20 trees with wire cages around them. Which idea would you recommend?

Joe - I have heard of this issue, but I live in a part of the state (just east of the Blue Ridge) where there are not many Christmas trees grown. The places that do have trees carry either canaan fir, white pine, or Norway Spruce, but they are so few and far between I don't think I will have a problem. Our wild conifer trees are mainly Virginia Pine and Red Ceder. Do wooly agelids bother those trees?

Jim, my mistake. I meant to ask: do you know any places that offer bigger trees, preferably TRANSPLANTS, not seedlings as I had written? Sorry for the confusion. If not, I will be ordering from one of your two sources.

the source i gave you.. offers them in 2.. 3..4... and 5 year old trees ...

i dont think i would go much beyond a 5 year old tree.. younger trees get established.. and return to the proper annual growth rate much faster than larger transplants ...

as to your other question ...

first.. contact your local county extension office ... and ask if there is a forester on staff.. or who rolls thru .. see link

e.g. MI xmas trees is BIG!! biz.. and they have all kinds of information.. right on point to what you are doing.. including.. PRUNING... you know they really dont grow in perfect xmas tree shape.. and pruning is timed out [one of the few instances where i would argue FOR precise pruning time, based on the bulk.. and the investment].. and done with a machete ... i once saw such.. almost crashed the car driving off the road.. lol ..

and why do 100 right now ... will you need 100 one year down the line ..

i guess.. totally guessing ...

buy a couple larger specimens.. so they can be harvested in 3 to 5 years ...

plant 20 or 25 .. whatever multiple they sell them in .... ..... 5 year olds

next year.. same with 4 year olds.. etc..

spacing.. how big a tree do you want.. width-wise.. then add 5 or 6 feet .. so you have room to machete them.. and harvest them.. etc ...

and if you happen to know of any xmas tree farms in your area ... go check them out ... they might be busy as heck thru 12/25 or so.. but i bet a phone call in january.. will get you a conversation with someone who has little to do ... and they will very quickly know.. if this tree will grow/thrive.. in your area ...

and dont forget.. you will be going back and filling in holes .. as some die.. do NOT presume.. when you work in bulk.. with trees.. that they all live ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link