Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 8/31/2021
CHICOPEE – Paul Bunyan’s Farm & Nursery has been operating as a seasonal staple for over 40 years at its location on 500 Fuller Rd. in Chicopee.
For owner Susan Lopes, she said her 35 years of tireless hours have been a labor of love. “Ever since I was 21, I’ve been working long and hard hours here. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” said Lopes. The Fuller Road farmland was originally operated by Lopes’ mentor Kaz, but she soon assumed ownership of the growing operation. After using the area for a gardening center named Mrs. Bunyan’s Bloomers, Lopes said she pivoted the business toward Christmas trees.
According to Lopes, Paul Bunyan’s Christmas trees are a unique breed. “I grow a special kind of Christmas tree called Fraser fir,” said Lopes. She said the Fraser firs take 10 years to grow, which is three to four extra years compared to a typical spruce tree.
For Lopes, that extra time is well worth it given the trees’ unique qualities. She said that Fraser trees have longer needle retention, lasting as long as three months before shedding their fir. Along with their soft needles and dark green hue, Lopes believes these trees make for the quintessential Christmas staple. “Customers get a wonderful Christmas tree that doesn’t give them any trouble,” said Lopes.
Christmas trees are among the array of seasonal items Paul Bunyan’s offers to customers. Lopes said the business expanded in 2016, utilizing a century old barn and a greenhouse to sell unique decorations for the fall season. “Every year I look for new exciting items to have for our patrons, a lot of people tell us that (Paul Bunyan’s) is their favorite place to shop”, said Lopes. Lopes embraces a new inventory with every season, with fall staples like corn stalks, pumpkins, gourds, scarecrows and flying ghosts being a mainstay in the shop’s inventory.
To make an ideal customer experience, Lopes said she works tireless hours to provide the best possible trees and items. “I have to work in the rain, I have to work in the hot baking sun and I have to work in the freezing cold. It’s the work that is required to make sure that patrons that come here year after year get a great Christmas tree,” said Lopes. She said the reward of seeing happy returning customers every year makes all the hours worth it.
“My favorite part of it all is watching how happy I make the customers. It’s very rewarding,” said Lopes. When it comes to COVID-19 concerns, Lopes explained that the businesses’ largely outdoor operations have allowed Paul Bunyan’s to operate without missing a beat. “We work hard to keep everyone safe and comfortable,” said Lopes.
Paul Bunyan’s Farm & Nursery opens for the season on Sept. 11. For more information about the space, readers can visit their website http://www.paulbunyansfarm.com/ or reach out via phone 594-2144.