Wisconsin Christmas Tree Farms
When the trees are cut, they are run through a baler, which compacts the branches and wraps twine or plastic netting around them. This makes the tree easier to transport. At the tree lot the baling material will be removed so customers can see the tree with its branches spread. Many sellers will rebundle the tree after it is sold to help the buyer transport it home.
"Cut-your-Own" tree operations are popular with many families. They enjoy the opportunity to drive into the country as a family, choose their own tree and cut it down. For a brief time they are celebrating Christmas as their ancestors might have. Many Christmas tree farms cater to this by providing sleigh rides, fresh greenery, Christmas shops, kid's play areas, and other incentives to come and spend the day (as well as your money). Wisconsin has more than 100 choose and cut tree farms.
In 2003, the official White House Christmas Tree, displayed in the Blue Room, was a Fraser fir from Wisconsin. It was officially presented to Laura Bush on December 1, 2003, by Jim and Diane Chapman, owners of Silent Night Evergreens in Endeavor, WI. The Chapman's also had the honor of providing the White House Christmas Tree in 1998. That tree was presented to First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. That year the Chapman's actually presented two trees, one for the Blue Room and one for the Clinton family's private residence. Jim and Diane were not the first Chapman's to present an official White House Christmas Tree. Diane Chapman's parents, Irv and Alyce Daggett, had the honor of presenting a Christmas Tree to Nancy Reagan in 1988.
In order to have your Christmas tree chosen as the White House Tree, you must win the National Christmas Tree Association's (NCTA) national Christmas Tree contest and becoming Grand Champions. First the Chapman's competed against approximately 25 trees at the Wisconsin Christmas Tree Association's contest. Winning in Wisconsin made them eligible to go on to the national competition, they then had to beat 27 other entries at the NCTA Biennial Convention.
The Chapman's entry was a beautiful Balsam Fir. The actual tree picked for the Blue Room was a Fraser fir hand picked by White House Chief Usher Gary Walters, Superintendent of Grounds Irv Williams, and Grounds Foreman Mike Lawn on October 9, 2003. The tree was cut in late November and trucked to the White House for the presentation on
Latest Articles