Nash County native leaves New York City for family Christmas tree farm

That was before coronavirus pandemic hit and she felt a pull to her mother and her family’s farm, which hasn’t sold trees since 2005.

"I’ve been going so fast for so long, and anybody who’s been working, maybe 80 hours a week, then something like this happens."

Finch watched her father, Raymond Finch, plant trees and her grandmother, Pearl Finch, make wreaths growing up. Her father died in 2000, but not before passing his love of the land to his daughter

"One of the last things he told me was ‘I know you don’t understand a lot of the things I’m trying to teach you about the farm, the trees and the environment, but one day it’s all going to make sense," she recounted.

Following a successful career in places like Washington, D.C. and New York City, Finch felt a pull toward another business -- the family business. The pandemic gave her the chance to take a break, and return home.

"Since I’ve been home now, I’ve been trying to position myself and position the wreath business to have a longer than one season life," said Finch.

The media and marketing savvy Finch is using her past business experience to relaunch the same business her father and grandmother once ran.

"Making wreaths is really relaxing," explained Finch, adding that there is a lot of work that goes into the process, "For example a small [wreath] is 95 pine-cones, that’s a lot of bending down, it’s a lot of collecting."

Finch said it saddens her that her father can’t see her take over the family’s business, but Pearl Finch, 93, is proud to see her granddaughter continue the tradition.

"She’s always watched me and asked me questions," said Pearl Finch, "[She was] interested in growing and doing and being creative."

For Finch, it’s definitely a labor of love.