Christmas Tree Growers Gather for Summer Meeting

The rainy day didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the 80 Christmas tree farmers who gathered at Nigel Manley and Judy Ratzel's South Farm in Bethlehem on Saturday, June 22, for the New Hampshire/Vermont Christmas Tree Association summer meeting.

The day's events included a tour of South Farm for the participants hailing from New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut and two Canadian farms.

A lively panel of experts discussed Exotic Firs featuring NHVTCTA members: Jeff Taylor, Mike Godzyk, Larry Downey, Ron Kelly and Nigel Manley.

Manley and Ratzel bought South Farm in 2013 and began planting trees, which take eight years to grow to Christmas tree size. They initially sold trees to a few wholesale customers, then in 2023 they began a cut-your-own operation. South Farm's trees include Fraser Fir, Canaan Fir, Fralsam, Korean, and Korean Cross Balsam.

Judy and Nigel of South Farm welcomed the crowd

"I was excited to have the summer meeting at my farm and share Judy's and my dream with other Christmas tree farmers," says Manley. "It was amazing the amount of information shared amongst all of us. You put a lot of really good minds together, toss around ideas, debate them and figure out what other Christmas tree farmers are doing. We also go to national meetings, so we bring information from other states. Right now, climate change is a big topic. We're having wetter and hotter summers and this affects the types of trees we grow."

A highlight of the summer meeting was the presentation of the 2024 Christmas Spirit Award to Bob White, owner of White's Tree Farm in Essex, Vermont. White, a longtime member of the NHVTCTA Board of Directors, received the award in recognition of donating his time and hundreds of trees to the Trees for Troops program.

Each year, the national Christmas Spirit Foundation Trustees review nominations and present selected recipients with the award, thanking them for their creative and extraordinary support. Many of the Christmas tree farms in New Hampshire and Vermont donate their trees to be sent to troops serving around the world. For instance, last year Manley and Ratzel were proud to have 160 trees sponsored for the Trees to Troops program. Learn more about the program at treesfortroops.org.

Speakers during the day's events included Christmas tree growers from around the region, along with Rachel Maccini, UNH Cooperative Extension Field Specialist for Pesticide Safety Education, whose topic was "How to Read a Pesticide Label" and Ron Kelly, who shared his tree health expertise based on his 25 years of experience as a Forest Health Specialist.

The 50/50 Raffle ticket was picked by little April Rose Potter of Pineberry Farm. Mike Godzyk was the lucky winner!

"It was great to see the enthusiastic turnout for the event by so many busy farmers who attended to network with each other and share tips for growing healthy trees," says Veronica Francis, Executive Director of the New Hampshire/Vermont Christmas Tree Association. Francis has had a more than ten-year-long affiliation with the association, designing and maintaining its website, before being named Executive Director in January.

The 2024 Christmas Spirit Award was presented to Bob White, owner of White's Tree Farm in Essex, Vermont.

Along with all the camaraderie and information exchanged, the growers enjoyed a BBQ lunch catered by Chef Joe of Franconia and donuts from Simon's Market in Littleton. Tents were supplied by Abbott Rental in Littleton. The day-long event was sponsored by Farm Credit East of White River Jct., Vermont.

Since 1956, New Hampshire/Vermont Christmas Tree Association members have collaborated to cultivate the industry, sharing information about current growing practices, educating consumers about the many benefits of real trees, and promoting the production of high-quality, fresh, farm-grown Christmas trees. The association currently has140 members and always welcomes new members interested in supporting Christmas tree growers.