The Karl Rinas family has taken the past 16 years to transform a retired potato farm located at 5620 Streeter Rd., Mantua, into a great destination for finding a Christmas tree.
The history of the land goes back generations. The barn which once housed potatoes for the market is now a workshop for the tree operation. Growing trees requires patience, as a tree seedling, once in the ground, may take 7 years to come to marketable height. The trees need good soil with a combination of sand, clay and organic matter, plus careful elimination of weeds and insects. Currently the farm grows multiple varieties of Fir and Spruce trees including one which is hypoallergenic. Once they are tall enough to sell, they are individually priced from $30 -$150 for sale based on their height and fullness.
The farm also includes a gift shop which was added to the barn to offer tree accessories, and a variety of unique, hand created and hand selected gifts.
The farm is a U-Cut adventure, allowing the customer to have the freshest tree possible. The customer is provided with a saw, a sled for moving the tree, and kneeling pad to use in the field. If someone needs additional assistance, they can ask a staff person for hands on assistance. Since the family has worked on the farm since the youngest grandchild was a toddler, all are very familiar with the process.
Once the tree is brought to the sales area, it is trimmed, shaken to clear any unwanted loose needles and bailed for easy transport home.  Quality pin style tree stands with water bowl are available for sale in the gift shop for easier set-up at home. Staff will drill them in the center to assure they stand straight and secure. For those new to having a live tree, they are given a care sheet.
While this processing is being completed, guests can warm up and browse the gift shop or enjoy taking pictures at the photo op areas around the farm. Once the tree is prepared, twine is provided to secure the tree to the car.
Since the farm is staffed mostly by family, the hours are designed to allow weekend purchases. Hours are from 9-4:30 on Black Friday and the weekends from then until Dec. 14. Cash, checks and credit cards are accepted. For more information call 330 888-9005 or look at riverruntreefarm@gmail.com on the web or Facebook and Instagram.
