Wreath Winner 2008

Jim and Mary Ann Martin, Highland Trees, Wausau, took the Grand Champion ribbon for both decorated and undecorated wreath classes this past weekend at the annual wreath contest. The contest is sponsored by WCTPA and is held during the Winter Convention. This year it was held in Stevens Point.   Here is a short article about the convention.

          Clicking on the picture will open a viewable file.

Clicking on one of these links... Decorated wreath or Undecorated wreath ...will download a large file suitable for printing. 

Central Wisconsin Christmas Tree Growers Tie for 2007 Grand Champion

Russell Kook
Caledonia Christmas Tree Farm
N3551 CTH-U
Merrimac, WI 53561
Phone: 608-235-5428
email: treefarm@merr.com

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 

Merrillan, WI - August 10, 2007 - for the second year in a row, trees grown by two Wisconsin Christmas tree growers tied for the honor of Wisconsin Grand Champion Christmas Tree. Members of the Wisconsin Christmas Tree Producers Association (WCTPA) selected a concolor (white) fir Christmas tree grown by Tom and Sue Schroeder of Schroeder's Forevergreens of Neenah and a balsam fir grown by Russell and Luann Kook of Caledonia Tree Farm of Merrimac as the Co-Grand Champion Wisconsin Christmas Trees. Voting took place at the Association's Summer Convention held at Northern Christmas Trees and Nursery in Merrillan, 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 Kook's will be representing their farms and all the members of WCTPA when they present a tree to Governor Doyle this coming December.

Wisconsin will be well represented at next summer's National Christmas Tree Association's contest which will be held next August in Des Moines, Iowa. In addition to the Schroeder's and Kook's, Jim and Diane Chapman of Silent Night Evergreens of Endeavor (one of last year's Co-Grand Champions) 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 160 acres of land. Since 1976 the Schroeder's have provided thousands of real Christmas trees to Fox Valley families from their retail lots.

The Kook's have been growing Christmas trees for twenty years on one hundred, twenty-four acres in Columbia County. They also grow several species of trees including balsam fir, fraser, fir, and concolor fir. For several years they have operated retail lots in Madison.

2007 Wreath Contest Winners. Roger & Sally Conklin of Conklin Tree Farms, Wheeler, won the Grand Champion ribbon in the undecorated wreath class. Paul & Sherrill Schottler of St. Croix Valley Trees, Somerset, won the Grand Champion ribbon in the decorated wreath class.

2006 Tree Contest Winners. L to R: Dan Hanauer Jr, Hanauer Tree Farms, Shawano and Diane and Jim Chapman, Silent Night Evergreens, Endeavor  are Grand Champion winners in the annual tree contest held in Wausau. (They tied for the award.) Hanauer won with a Canann fir and Chapmans won with a Concolor fir.

2006 Wreath Contest Winners. Roger & Sally Conklin of Conklin Tree Farms, Wheeler, won the grand champion ribbon in the undecorated wreath class.  Jon Schultz (center) of Northwoods Evergreen & Wire Company, Merrill, won the grand champion ribbon in the decorated wreath class. Standing with him are Chris Schultz and Darlene Johnson.

Summer Convention and Annual Tree Contest - 2005 Tom and Sue Schroeder of Schroeder's Forevergreens, Neenah, again were the grand champion winners in this year's tree contest. See news release:  August 2005 news Pictures taken at the convention in Wausaukee, WI. Go to Photo Album.

January 20-22, 2005, Winter Convention & Trade Show, Fox Hills Resort, Mishicot, Wisconsin   Wreath Contest winner, Jon Schultz (center) of Northwoods Evergreen and Wire Company, Merrill, displays the two grand champion wreaths he won at this year's contest. Standing on his right is his son, Chris, and on his left, Darlene Johnson.  News release: January 2005 news

12/3/04. Tom & Sue Schroeder present a tree to Mrs. Doyle. It stands in the Governor's Conference Room in the state Capitol. See news release. 12/3/04. Brian and Jan Patrick present two wreaths to Mrs. Doyle to hang at the Governor's Mansion. See news release.