By KAYLIN PICKETT
BG Independent News
Families have been decorating their houses with evergreen and fir trees for centuries to celebrate the winter solstice, and this tradition carried over to the Christian holiday, Christmas. They brave the cold of winter to find and cut down the perfect tree to bring home and decorate with ornaments, tinsel and lights.
Even now, when it is so much easier to go to the store and buy a fake tree, many families still enjoy the tradition of bringing home a real tree to decorate. Alexander’s Christmas Tree Farm has been helping to keep this tradition alive for over 50 years.
The Alexander family has owned the land since the 1880s, when Mark Alexander’s grandfather purchased the land. For a short time, part of the property was sold to a railroad, but was bought back by Alexander’s father, Tom Alexander, after he returned from WWII in the 1940s.
At first, the pine trees were planted to be sold as lumber before they were invaded by insects – that’s when a state forester suggested that they could be used for Christmas trees.
After growing up and working on the farm with his father and sisters, it was a natural transition for Mark Alexander to take over the business, and he continues to pass on his knowledge to his four nephews.
“It just kind of happened, it just fit. I farmed and I worked as a heavy equipment operator, and this was just a good fit,” Alexander said. “And I’ve got four younger nephews, so the labor was there and it just kind of kept going.”
Though most people only think about Christmas tree farms in the winter, they require maintenance and care year-round. After the snow melts and the ground thaws, the work for the year begins with removing stumps from the ground. Then, planting seedlings in the spring and keeping the grounds mowed.
Then the process of trimming the trees begins in June with the pines, then continues in September with the spruce and fir trees. This is to help mold the tree into a good shape for people to take home for Christmas.
“It’ll probably take six to seven years to get a six-foot tree. They’ll grow more than that, but you have to keep trimming them back to get a good, good shape to them,” Alexander said.
Then the Christmas season comes and families start to bring home their trees. Alexander’s Tree Farm has a wide variety of trees to choose from, like the Douglas Fir, Concolor Fir, Fraser Fir, Norway Spruce, White Spruce and more.
The trees differ by the types of needles, whether they are softer or sharper, how long they hold their needles and their smells. Alexander’s favorite tree to use as a Christmas tree is the Concolor Fir.
“They hold their needles phenomenally well, and they give off a citrus smell, but everyone’s taste is different,” Alexander said.
With all of the work that it takes to keep the farm running, Alexander requires help year-round. He relies a lot on his sister Leslie Schiffler and her son, Austin Schiffler, to help out. He also receives help from his friends and hires help from the area.
Alexander hopes to continue expanding the farm to continue sharing the joy of picking out and bringing home the perfect Christmas tree with families.
“The little kids are just a trip, they’re quite enjoyable. And then after you start seeing people from multiple generations, it’s very nice to see everybody, at least once a year,” Alexander said.
Alexander’s Tree Farm is open every day from 9 a.m. to sundown during the Christmas season. They are located at 4412 U.S. 6 near Pemberville. For more information, visit their Facebook page at Alexander’s Christmas Tree Farm Route 6.
