FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Sue or Tom Schroeder, Schroeder's Forevergreens
706 Main Street
Neenah, WI 54956
Phone: 920-810-9900 or 920-725-9953
Web site: www.schroedersforevergreens.com
Gary Nelson, Nelson’s Family Tree Farms
P O Box 180
Wild Rose, WI 54984
Phone: 920-229-8015
Wisconsin's Top Two Christmas Trees Grown in Waushara County
Waushara County, WI – August 7, 2005- for the third year in a row, members of the Wisconsin Christmas Tree Producers Association (WCTPA) selected a balsam fir Christmas tree grown by Tom and Sue Schroeder of Schroeder’s Forevergreens of Neenah as the Grand Champion Wisconsin Christmas Tree. A Fraser Fir grown by Gary and Jo Ann Nelson of Nelson Family Tree Farms of Wild Rose was named the first runner-up. Voting took place this past Friday at the Association’s Summer Convention in Wausaukee, WI.
WCTPA members are able to enter one tree in any or all of the contest’s five classes-Balsam Fir, Fraser Fir, Other Fir, Pine, and Spruce. Members then vote for the top tree in each class and for an overall Grand Champion tree.
The Schroeder’s will be representing their farm and all the members of WCTPA when they again present a tree to Governor Doyle this coming December.
Waushara County will be well represented at next summer’s National Christmas Tree Association’s contest which will be held next August in Portland, Oregon. In addition to the Schroeder’s and Nelson’s, Tom Happersett of Happ’s Homegrown Trees of Neshkoro (last year’s first runner-up) will be entering a tree in the national contest. The winner of the national contest has the honor of presenting a tree to the White House.
The Schroeder’s began growing trees on their farms located in central Wisconsin’s Marquette and Waushara Counties in 1987. They currently grow several species of trees on approximately 150 acres of land. Since 1976 the Schroeder’s have provided thousands of real Christmas trees to Fox Valley families from their retail lots. Their retail lots are located on the corner of Lake and Main Streets and at Krueger True Value Hardware, both in Neenah.
The Nelson’s started their Christmas tree farm in 1997. Their award winning Fraser Fir was harvested from one of the first fields they planted. They grow both Fraser fir and White pine on approximately 150 acres in Waushara County. Gary is very experienced in the Christmas tree industry. He began working for the Kirk Company at their Wautoma location in 1978 and is currently their District Manager.
ADDITIONAL Contact INFORMATION:
Cheryl Nicholson, Executive Secretary
Wisconsin Christmas Tree Producers Association
W9833 Hogan Road
Portage, WI 53901
(608)-742-8663