BLAIR -- Moving to Oklahoma in 1974 from McChord Air Force Base in Tacoma, Wash., Al and Sylvia Sasse were astonished at the lack of trees in their new state. Al (a retired master sergeant) was stationed at Altus AFB.

"We didn't have any 'real' trees, so we decided to do something about it," Sylvia said.

Sylvia says she went from wanting to buy an acre to plant a few trees for herself to buying five acres to plant trees for herself and her friends.

"Now," she said, "we have 15 acres and we have lots and lots of friends."

The couple planted their first tree in 1987 and have operated their own "Sandy Hills Christmas Tree and Blackberry Farm" since 1992. They open their gates for business the weekend of Thanksgiving and close them on Dec. 22.

The Sasses plant and grow Virginia and Scotch pines. For the benefit of those not so well acquainted with varieties of evergreen, Scotch pines are, as the name implies, of European decent and have shorter, stiffer needles, while the Virginia pine -- which is in fact from North Carolina -- has longer, softer needles. Sylvia says that some people with a lot of heavier ornaments like the stiffer needles of the Scotch, but for the most part people are happy with either tree. She said the Virginia takes seven to eight years to reach full maturity, while the Scotch can take up to 10 years. There are therefore more Virginia pines on the farm, but both trees, she says, grow really well here in Oklahoma.

Unlike some Christmas tree farms, Sandy Hills does not sell trees wholesale. Sylvia said that trees sold at retail outlet stores have been sitting an extended period of time and they grow a type of mold on them. She warns consumers to always wash down a real Christmas tree if it is bought at a store in order to remove this mold, before placing it in their homes.

When the customers come to Sandy Hills with their family, they are allowed to cut down their own tree -- either with their own ax or one provided by the Sasses. Although, this is not required. They have staff on hand out in the fields to assist anyone who might need help in cutting the trees down themselves, or to cut the trees down for them.

"We wanted to put the family back in Christmas," said Sylvia. "There are too many families who just see each other at supper-time or in the mornings -- if they're lucky."

The couple said it makes them happy to see families come out. They said every family member goes a different direction and each of them picks out his or her favorite tree. They said it really helps to bring the families closer together.

"We decided to do something about family traditions," she said. "This may be a tradition that has been in the family for a long time -- and if not, we would like them to start it as a family tradition."

They say having a fresh tree has a lot of advantages. Besides providing a pleasant aroma of pine, these trees are grown right here in Oklahoma - not like the artificial trees that are almost all made in Taiwan or China. Artificial trees are made from a petroleum product that they say may catch fire very easily.

Customers must have their own stands, which can hold up to two gallons of water, but care instructions are given to those who buy trees. The trees sell for $6 per foot of height. The Sasses shake the trees to remove dried needles and bale them for easier transportation home.

Sandy Hills also provides hayrides on Saturdays and Sundays, during which tree-seekers ride a wagon and are guided through the four different sections in which they can pick a tree. The customers then cut their favorite tree (or have it cut for them). They're loaded onto the wagon and brought back to the front of the property.

There is no charge for the hayrides, and Sylvia said you don't have to be buying a tree to come out and tour the property and enjoy the hayride.

Besides Christmas trees, the Sasses also grow blackberries, which are ready to harvest in May, June and July. Blackberry lovers must call and be put on a waiting list in order to get a slot to pick their own blackberries.

Sylvia makes made-to-order holiday wreaths, although she said she already has her limit of wreaths to make for this Christmas season.

Customers can take Hwy. 283 and turn east on County Road 156 for 31/3 miles, then go a third of a mile south on County Road 2074 (follow Al's white signs with Christmas trees on them). They are open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily.

They say they get people coming from all around every year to buy their Christmas trees - families from Lawton, Anadarko, Sayre, Elk City, and Vernon and Burkburnett, Texas. They even have one family that comes down every year from Wichita, Kan., to visit family, and they take a tree home to Kansas to enjoy through the holidays.

"We plan to continue growing our trees for your family tradition for many years to come," said Sylvia. For more information about Sandy Hills, contact Al or Sylvia at 563-2017.

The Sasses have three children - Rhonda, who works as the senior botanist of the state of Alabama for the United States Forest Service; Regina, who lives in Oklahoma City and is a district manager for Hobby Lobby; and Allen, who owns and operated "Four Winds Recreation" northwest of Warren. They have six grandchildren, ranging in age from 10 months to 17 years old.