Media Page
History and Philosophy of Mill Hollow
Press Releases
General comments
Your audience is interested in what is happening in their "back yard". Christmas tree farm articles and news segments do get attention. For many, it is new, different, affordable and environmentally right during these times. For others, it will even bring back the memories of being a child and the joys of finding, cutting and taking home their Christmas tree.
We encourage your reporter/photographer and especially their family(ies) to come to the farm any weekend we are open to obtain their own pictures, interview others and experience what a Mill Hollow adventure is all about. Just let us know you are coming.
If time is a limitation, we do have pictures, facts and back ground information on our farm and will to do a telephone interview if so desired.
Quick Facts on Mill Hollow Christmas Tree Farm
1. Farm bought in 1983
2. Farm is located 1 1/2 miles east of Oakhurst on SH 190 and then South on Palmetto Drive 1/2 mile
Alternatively
2. Farm is located 4 1/2 miles west of Point Blank on SH 190 and then south on Palmetto Drive 1/2 mile
3. Farm is 84 acres in size with 20 acres in Christmas trees, an acre in a vineyard and the remainder in forests
4. Farm is very scenic being located on top of one of the areas highest hills and surrounded by forests and running creeks
5. Farm name, Mill Hollow, is from the location nearby of the now vanished Oakhurst Saw Mill
6. First Christmas trees were sold in 1986 at a retail lot on the Northwest side of Houston in the Cypress area. This retail lot was operated from 1986 to 1994 and sold trees from the farm and also other Texas Christmas tree farms.
7. Choose and cut operations at the farm were started in 1988 and continue to this day
8. Christmas trees are priced based on quality and not on size.
9. Mill Hollow has been set up for families to create memories and long lasting traditions and especially for the children to experience the joys of being in the country and finding a real Christmas tree
10. Mill Hollow continues to be open only on weekends since this is the best time for families with children
11. The customer base for Mill Hollow covers East Texas from the Louisiana border down to Corpus Christie, to San Antonio, to Austin and to Dallas.
12. Mill Hollow's source of new customers is predominantly from referrals of existing customers.
Press Releases
2009 Letter and Press Release
2009 Letter
November 14, 2009
Dear Editor:
Enclosed your will find a Press Release describing Mill Hollow Christmas Tree Farm. We are unique, enjoyed by children of all ages and located in a very scenic nearby area. In these economic times, your readers are looking for affordable, memorable and family oriented events. I am sure many of your newspaper readers would enjoy reading about us and what we do.
If you wish to send a reporter and a photographer to explore Mill Hollow, Thanksgiving Friday or the weekends are the best time. This is when families are enjoying Mill Hollow and photo and interview opportunities exist. The farm opens Thanksgiving Friday, Saturday and Sunday and will be open only on weekends until Christmas Eve.
Obviously, a visit may not be possible with the amount of news needed to be covered and deadlines to meet. To assist you, we do have a very detailed web site with a Media Page. The address is-
www.MillHollowTexas.com
On the web site, we have more information on the activities, family pictures taken at Mill Hollow, history, directions to the farm and even the philosophy behind what we do. The web site pictures and even this press release are available for downloading and using in your paper.
We are available for a telephone interview if additional information is desired. Just call one or both of the numbers below. If we happen to be out in the Christmas tree field getting the Christmas trees ready, just leave a message. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
If you wish to include other Christmas tree farms, they are identified at the Texas Christmas Tree Growers Association site. The address is-
www.TexasChristmasTrees.com
Thank you for your time in reading our press release and visiting our web site.
Sincerely yours,
Denny and Marge Gunia
2009 Press release
For More Information:
Marge Gunia
936 377-4044 / 713 515-7011
MillHollowTexas@aol.com
www.MillHollowTexas.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Mill Hollow Christmas Tree Farm
Newspaper, radio and TV news is loaded with depressing information about the condition of the economy, possible climate change, wars and other disturbing world events. For those who have been around awhile, they can confirm that these tough trying times have happened before and realistically will happen again. The good news is that tough times historically will eventually lead to better times ahead. .
During past tough times, families return to the basics of life. For many, this includes taking in uplifting, affordable and especially memorable fun experiences. One of these time tested family making adventures is getting a real Texas Christmas tree at their local Christmas tree farm. For many, this is going to Mill Hollow Christmas Tree Farm.
The drive to Mill Hollow is through beautiful East Texas with the farm located in the very scenic and forested hills between Huntsville and Lake Livingston just off of US 190 on Palmetto Drive. On this country road, you will go over a bridge, through the woods and up a forested steep hill until a Christmas tree farm nestled in the woods opens up before you. Thousands and thousands of beautiful shaped Christmas trees are waiting to be selected as your family Christmas tree.
Mill Hollow is a place of fun and memories. There is a real tree house in an old oak tree. A hay ride is getting ready to leave for a relaxing ride around the Christmas trees. Near the fluttering Texas flag, you will find a haystack to play in. Miles of trails through the hilly forests beckon you to come exploring. Signs are strategically placed to tell you what has happened in the area, what critters call it home and should be avoided and some are just silly.
In a park like area, young children can crawl, climb and just play "make believe" in a log cabin playhouse. For the curious, a hand water pump needs to be pumped. For the sensitive, the petting dog Jude needs some attention. For the explorer, a small tractor needs investigating. For the hyper-active, the tricycles need to be taken for a spin. For the competitive, a tire rolling contest is on-going. The winner of this family contest is lost in the excitement of the tire roll but sure to be debated on the ride home.
The smell from the wood log fire mingled with the fragrance of growing Christmas trees reminds one of a simpler time. Several people are sitting on the surrounding benches and enjoying the crackle and dancing flames of the fire and some are even roasting marshmallows.
If that growl is your stomach and not one of the many wild animals in the adjacent forests, it is time to eat. The hot dogs are free but you must roast them yourself on a charcoal fire to the right degree of crispness. Free potato chips and beans round off this meal. Soft drinks, marshmallows, Texas sausages and other comfort foods are also available to purchase.
How do you find Mill Hollow? Just take I-45 to Huntsville and then US 190 east to Oakhurst. At the flashing light in Oakhurst, continue another one and a half miles to Palmetto Drive. Turn right (south) on Palmetto. The farm is located at the end of Palmetto Drive.
Oh yes, the farm opens Thanksgiving Friday, Saturday and Sunday and will be open only on weekends until Sunday, December 20.
We do have a special event for those who want to do the Christmas tree hunt differently. On Friday, December 4, from 3 till 8 PM, you can find your tree at dusk or even in the dark. We call it our Moonlight Adventure. This does require an RSVP, a flashlight and is held only if weather permits.
More information on the activities, events and detailed directions are on the web site, www.MillHollowTexas.com.
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2008 Letter and Press Release
2008 Enclosed Letter:
November 14, 2008
Enclosed your will find a Press Release describing Mill Hollow Christmas Tree Farm. We are unique, enjoyed by children of all ages and located in a very scenic area. I am sure many of your newspaper readers would enjoy reading about us and what we do.
If you wish to send a reporter and a photographer to explore Mill Hollow, Thanksgiving Friday or the weekends are the best time. This is when families are enjoying Mill Hollow and photo and interview opportunities exist. The farm opens Thanksgiving Friday, Saturday and Sunday and will be open only on weekends until Sunday, December 21.
Obviously, a visit may not be possible with the amount of news needed to be covered and deadlines to meet. To assist you, we do have a very detailed web site. The address is-
www.MillHollowTexas.com
On the web site, we have more information on the activities, family pictures taken at Mill Hollow, history, directions to the farm and even the philosophy behind what we do. The web site pictures are available for downloading and using in your paper. In addition, we are available for a telephone interview if additional information is desired. Just call one or both of the numbers below. If we happen to be out in the Christmas tree field getting the Christmas trees ready, just leave a message. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
If you wish to include other Christmas tree farms, they are identified at the Texas Christmas Tree Growers Association site. The address is-
www.TexasChristmasTrees.com
Thank you for your time in reading our press release and visiting our web site.
Sincerely yours,
Denny and Marge Gunia
2008 Press Release:
For More Information:
Marge Gunia
936 377-4044 / 281 469-2981
MillHollowTexas@aol.com
www.MillHollowTexas.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Mill Hollow Christmas Tree Farm, A Family Adventure
Mill Hollow Christmas tree farm east of Huntsville and near Lake Livingston has for nearly 25 years provided a family experience and lasting memories for thousands of Texas families. Mill Hollow is different from what many expect a Christmas tree farm to be. Mill Hollow is for families with children who want this annual traditional trek to be a memorable adventure for many years to come. It is interesting in that several of our customers came to the farm as a child and now sharing this experience with their own children.
A journey to Mill Hollow will provide your family with long lasting memories. Even during these stressful times, a day visit to Mill Hollow is affordable. The drive is through beautiful East Texas with the farm located in the very scenic and forested hills between Huntsville and Lake Livingston just off of US 190 on Palmetto Drive. On this country road, you will go over a bridge, through the woods and up the steep hill until a Christmas tree farm nestled in the woods opens up before you. The adventure begins.
This is Mill Hollow Christmas Tree Farm. You will be greeted, given a map of the farm, a saw and a measuring pole. The family is now off to find that special family Christmas tree in the hollows surrounding the hill. After the tree has been found, cut, cleaned and baled, it is time to explore.
Where is that tree house? In one of the Christmas tree fields, you will find stairs leading up to a real tree house nearly unseen in this pin oak tree. What a view of the Christmas tree field!
On top of the hill near a fluttering Texas flag, you see a haystack. Time to move on and enjoy the feel and smell of fresh hay. Nearby Jude, the petting dog, is trying to get your attention by tossing a can. He needs some love and a scratch or two behind the ears.
What is this? A water pump for pumping water. All you have to do is go up and down on the handle and water comes out.
The smell from the wood log fire reminds one of a simpler time. Several people are sitting on the surrounding benches and enjoying the crackle and dancing flames of the fire and some are even roasting marshmallows. Nearby, very young children are crawling, climbing and just playing "make believe" in a log cabin playhouse.
A hayride is getting ready to leave for a relaxing ride around the Christmas trees. You will find out why Christmas trees thrive here at Mill Hollow, how long it takes to grow a Texas Christmas tree and the labor of love necessary to grow beautiful Texas Christmas trees. For the children, they will learn about the "creepy and crawly things" who call these East Texas woods home. You will also find out why your Mill Hollow Christmas tree is helping our customers reduce global warming.
If that growl is your stomach and not one of the many wild animals in the adjacent forests, it is time to eat. The hot dogs are free but you must roast them yourself on a charcoal fire to the right degree of crispness. Free potato chips and beans round off this meal which people tell us is tastier because of the atmosphere here at Mill Hollow. Soft drinks, cookies, sausages, ice cream, marshmallows for roasting and candy are also available to purchase.
A full tummy means time for exercise. First, a very popular contest of seeing who can roll a tire the farthest past the log fire, past the port-a- potties and into the woods. The winner of this family contest is lost in the excitement of the tire roll but sure to be debated on the ride home.
Now it is time to try out a real tree swing on the huge old oak tree. Nearby, you see and can explore Spooky Hollow Trail and even cross the running creek and follow the trails to the grassland labyrinths and maze. This is your chance to see if the labyrinths really do relax you and test your navigational skills in the maze.
The trail continues through the forest hills to a fallen dam from over 100 years ago with trail signs to tell you about a once thriving sawmill town which has now vanished and has been reclaimed by the forest. On the way back, your curiosity gets the best of you and you check out the underground spring, the blue bat and "B" trees and the every popular shoo tree.
How do you find Mill Hollow? Just take I-45 to Huntsville and then US 190 east to Oakhurst. At the flashing light in Oakhurst, continue another one and a half miles to Palmetto Drive. Turn right (south) on Palmetto. The farm is located at the end of Palmetto Drive.
If you drive up on U.S. 59, at Livingston take US 190 west, cross Lake Livingston and keep going until the flashing light in Point Blank. Continue on US 190 another four and a half miles to Palmetto Drive on you left. Turn left onto Palmetto Drive.
Oh yes, the farm opens Thanksgiving Friday, Saturday and Sunday and will be open only on weekends until Sunday, December 21.
We do have a special event for those who want to do the Christmas tree hunt differently. On Friday, December 5, from 3 till 8 PM, you can find your tree at dusk or even in the dark. We call it our Moonlight Adventure. This does require an RSVP, a flashlight and is held only if weather permits. The farm is also available for groups and family reunions.
More information on the activities, events and detailed directions are on the web site, www.MillHollowTexas.com.
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