What should I ask about a tree farm’s shearing crews and retail lot?

Shearing is skilled seasonal labour, and a farm can be only as good as the crew that shapes the trees. Ask whether the crew is employed, contracted or a mix. Ask how long the same people have returned, how they are paid and who supervises. If the owner does the shearing personally, you are buying a role as well as a business.

Then look at the retail lot. Ask who staffs it, how the season is organised, what else is sold besides trees, and how customers are drawn in. Visit during its busy weekend if you can. Watch how the lot handles crowds, payment and parking.

Ask whether the lot depends on the owner’s name or on a location lease. A lease that ends or changes could matter more than the trees themselves. Your lawyer can review the terms. Finally, ask your accountant what the lot’s records show about sales across the season, and how cash and card sales are tracked. If the owner is the best shearer, ask whether that skill can be taught and how long it would take. A quiet answer here matters a great deal.

Key takeaways

• Ask how long shearing crew members have returned and who supervises them.
• Visit the retail lot on a busy day and note who does what.
• Review the lot’s lease and ask what happens if the owner steps away.
• Ask whether the owner’s own shearing skill can be taught or replaced.