In the nearly 50 years since opening, the neighborhood around Holmes Hollow has changed, but the Holmes family has ushered the landscape onward, maintaining the values that the property was founded on. Join us in December for the most unique cut-your-own Christmas Tree experience in the Rochester area. Nestled just 5 minutes from Eastview Mall on Turk Hill Road, Holmes Hollow is a quiet break from the rush of modern life. Our 64 acre farm has a natural sound barrier of trees and hills that protect it from road noise and allow you to crunch in the freshly fallen snow, selecting the perfect tree for your family, exactly as our family did on our first Christmas here many years ago.
We hope you enjoy your experience here, and as we move forward into another generation at Holmes Hollow, we invite you to join us knowing that our farm continues to be your farm. So take a hike on Crescent Trail, enjoy the simple pleasure of a run in the crisp fall air, or choose your family’s next Christmas tree from us, and know that just as we have been here for generations past, we will be here for generations to come.
Our History
Started in 1959 by Robert and Ellen Holmes, Holmes Hollow has been in continual operation as a family owned and operated Christmas Tree Farm. Originally a dairy farm, the property was converted into a tree farm in the late 50s. In 1989 Barbara Holmes, her husband Andrew Fowler, and their daughter Josephine returned home to manage the property. Robert and Ellen believed strongly in being involved in their community, and in keeping their farm open for community use and events, a tradition that continues today with the Crescent Trail which runs through Holmes Hollow, and events such as the yearly Genesee Valley Harriers Running Club “Mudslog” which travels through the shallows pond on the property.
From 1989 to 2015, Andrew and Barbara managed the property, including a plant nursery. During their tenure at Holmes Hollow, Barb and Andrew were active members of the local farmers market and gardening communities, offering tours of the gardens around the house. In 2016 they retired to their own farm in Colorado.
Holmes Hollow is currently operated by Josephine Fowler, who returned after her parents retirement to manage the property with her husband Matthew. Josephine follows in her grandparents footsteps, hosting Mudslogs and Crescent Trail, and keeping her horses on the property.
