2026 Fall Meeting Brings Growers to the Green Mountains
Christmas tree growers from New Hampshire and Vermont gathered at Larry's Tree Farm in Bakersfield, Vermont, on September 19 for the NH-VT Christmas Tree Association's Fall Member Meeting.
It was a beautiful early fall day in the Green Mountains and a great opportunity to combine practical education, new technology and plenty of conversation among fellow growers.
Hosts Derek, Penny and Larry Krygier welcomed members and introduced the group to Larry's Tree Farm and its growing Christmas tree, retail and agritourism operation.
The family shared a look at the farm's history, the extensive gift shop and discussed some of the behind-the-scenes details involved in creating a successful farm experience, from retail buying, customer service to opening the farm to fall visitors.
Creating the Full Farm Experience
Penny and the Larry's Tree Farm retail team gave members a tour of their expansive Christmas shop, beautifully decorated and filled with gifts, ornaments and seasonal merchandise. The tour offered a behind-the-scenes look at how the farm has expanded the traditional Christmas tree visit into a complete holiday experience for families.
Throughout the holiday season, visitors can enjoy Santa visits, festive photo opportunities and photo booths, along with a fun concession stand operated by family members. Together, these activities encourage customers to spend more time at the farm and make choosing a Christmas tree part of a memorable family tradition.
Penny also shared some of the practical planning that goes into managing the busy retail operation. The team discussed how their payment and credit card systems are configured to keep customers moving smoothly through the farm and shop, making checkout convenient while helping manage the flow of visitors during their busiest days.
For fellow growers, the tour provided plenty of ideas for enhancing the customer experience while also considering the logistics needed to make a busy choose-and-cut season run efficiently.
Preparing for a Pesticide Inspection
One of the morning's featured programs put growers through a simulated Vermont pesticide-use inspection. Jessica Tessier, Vermont Agricultural Resource Management Specialist, walked attendees through the inspection process and explained what an inspector looks for when visiting a farm.
The session covered pesticide storage, application equipment, personal protective equipment, record keeping and other important requirements.
The mock-inspection format gave growers a practical way to think about their own operations and the steps they can take to be prepared.
Research, Tree Health and the Challenges in the Field
Tree health was an important topic throughout the day. Bob White provided an update on research and grower feedback concerning leader die-off in Fraser fir, incorporating observations from growers in New Hampshire as well as Connecticut and Wisconsin. Jeff Taylor, a member of the Exotic Conifer Association, gave an update on the latest advances in growing different conifers around the region.
After a delicious lunch, the program moved into the fields. Derek Krygier was joined by Vermont State Entomologist Judy Rosovsky, Steve Hardy, Bob White and Jimmy Downey for a walking tour covering planting sites, tree care, insects, plant nutrition and leader die-off. The field setting encouraged plenty of questions and discussion as growers examined actual trees and conditions together, a valuable opportunity to compare experiences and learn from both specialists and one another.
Drones Take to the Christmas Tree Fields
One of the most talked-about demonstrations of the afternoon brought some new technology overhead. Aero Drone Solutions LLC demonstrated the use of a large agricultural drone for fertilizer and pesticide applications. Watching the drone operate above the Christmas tree fields gave growers a firsthand look at how this developing technology could potentially be used in tree production, particularly where terrain, field size or application efficiency present challenges.
Growing Together For 70 Years
As the NH-VT Christmas Tree Association celebrates its 70th anniversary, the Fall Meeting was a fitting example of what has kept the Association growing since 1956. For seven decades, growers have come together to walk the fields, share what is working, talk honestly about what isn't, learn about new research and technology, and pass along knowledge gained through years of experience.
That spirit was very much alive at Larry's Tree Farm, as longtime members, newer growers, researchers and industry experts exchanged ideas and learned from one another. The trees, tools and challenges may change, but the value of growers coming together remains the same.
Growing Together for 70 Years and still learning from each other.
Our sincere thanks to Derek, Penny, Larry and team Orange Hat at Larry's Tree Farm for opening their farm to the Association and providing such a welcoming setting for our Fall Meeting and to all of the presenters and members who helped make the day informative, interesting and enjoyable.
Special thanks to Farm Credit East for supporting this program and to Jimmy Downey for donating his win of the 50/50 Raffle to the Association!
