HAMLET, Ind. — John Hensler is a farmer; he grows Christmas trees, but what he really harvests are smiles.

He says all the years of work put into his annual crop (the trees cut this year were planted in 2003) are worth it when he sees a happy family leaving his farm.

“We know there is a lot of preparation and work to do for customers who will be coming. We see all the work and we could put in twice the hours because there is always something to do on the farm. “That’s why it’s fun for me to watch the people. In agritourism we think we make a lot of people happy,” he said. “It’s enjoyable helping people have a good time.”

Hensler, president of Hensler Nursery, Inc. near Hamlet in Starke County, says the busiest time of the year for the family’s 300-acre Christmas tree farm are the weekends between Thanksgiving and Christmas. “Things have sort of evolved for us here,” he said. “Right now we’re evolving as a business. You do the things that keep you flexible and in tune with the market. We used to do many more thousands of Christmas trees wholesale than we do today, but the market is down a bit.

“We’ve started in agritourism because what we’re trying to do is stay current and modernize. We’re trying to find things that work. If we were just a nursery, we’d have just one season.”

That’s why Hensler Nursery, which has been around since 1953, also grows pumpkins for early fall and decorative plants for the spring. But the nursery’s reputation has been built on Christmas.

Hensler won’t say how many Christmas trees the nursery sells each year, but a visit to the farm has become a tradition for thousands of families across northern Indiana and from as far away as Chicago and Indianapolis. And before the first customer ever arrives to pick out a tree, Hensler Nursery has shipped truckloads of trees to retailers around the country.

Indiana ranks 19th in the country with 202 Christmas tree farms and more than 3,100 acres planted in trees; however, it is 11th in the nation with more than 198,000 trees harvested annually. The value of the nation’s holiday tree crop, according to the National Christmas Tree Assoc., is $976 million, an average of $36.12 a tree. By comparison, the artificial tree market is $530 million.

One-third of all Christmas trees sold are at nurseries such as the one operated by Hensler. Next up are “big box” retailers like Walmart and Home Depot, with 21 percent of the market.

As Hensler drives around his nursery, he points out the variety of trees – from Scotch pine to blue spruce, from Douglas fir to white pine – and the various stages of growth of the trees. The trees being sold this year, for instance, were planted eight years ago. Planning a crop that far in advance isn’t easy, but Hensler tries to anticipate consumer demand.

“When customers get here, they see fields of trees ready to cut. They don’t see the work we’ve put in. We’ve fertilized and done a lot of shaping over the years. Our whole business is customer-driven,” said Hensler. “It’s actually a very enjoyable business dealing with the people we deal with. We try to anticipate customer demand. If you guess or plant wrong, well – it’s something you don’t want to do.”

Hensler Nursery has seven full-time employees, but during the holiday season, as many as 60 seasonal workers are on hand. Outside the Christmas season, Hensler is busy planting and transplanting trees and packaging seedlings for shipment to customers and nurseries around the country.

As Hensler walks down a row of trees, he spreads his arms and explains any tree in the row is worthy of being in anyone’s home. “None of these are perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but this is nature. They’re not supposed to look like they came out of a box,” he pointed out.

Besides being a working farm, Hensler has embraced the concept of agritourism. “When you come to the farm, there are hazards and we have a level of responsibility to make it safe, but we let people know that when they’re here, they have a level of responsibility, too.”

Most visitors to Hensler Nursery come for more than just a tree. “People know they can get a tree here or at other farms,” said Hensler. “We not only try to be price-conscious, but want to make their visit a worthwhile experience.

“If you make a decision to come to the tree farm, we want to have all the activities you expect. We have Mrs. Claus greet people. We have trails, we have horse-drawn wagon rides, we have animals and we have trams.”

Hensler says there’s also a gift shop, Santa is always on the farm and there are plenty of things to do and see.

While some visitors want to go out into the field and cut their own tree, Hensler admits some aren’t prepared to do that. “Some families come out and Dad isn’t used to being in the field. Grabbing a hand saw could be a challenge for him,” he said.

That’s why a third of the Christmas trees Hensler sells each season are precut. “We have other fields within several miles and we bring in trees fresh cut each day. Customers don’t have to tramp through the field in order to enjoy a day on the farm.”

But being a part of Indiana’s agritourism business means extra work. “Before we got into agritourism, my work year was shorter,” said Hensler. “Now I have to be here and I have to have staff here on weekends, when we could be home watching the football game or shopping on Black Friday.

“It adds to our work and that’s an important consideration for anyone considering agritourism. You’re out in a lot of weather. Customers come whether there are 12 inches of snow or whether it’s raining. You have to be able to take it all day. You have to have your game face on.”

Hensler defines himself as a farmer, but it’s attention to the little details of a retailer and a tourism director that take up much of his time. He makes sure the parking lot is clear, that any debris and trash is picked up, that everyone is ready to greet customers with a smile.

“We make sure everyone is greeted by Mrs. Claus. We direct people with young children to Santa. We make sure things are running smoothly. And we make sure to have plenty of restrooms so people don’t have to rush off,” he said. “We try to prevent lines from backing up. It’s uncomfortable to enjoy your day if you have to wait 20 minutes to get your tree shaken and baled and then wait another 20 minutes to pay for it. We want to make sure there are no unnecessary lines.”