“Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree” Tis the season for Christmas Trees. It’s that time of year when families are in search for that perfect evergreen tree to display in their homes for the Christmas season. I love driving through our county and seeing the lighted trees through the windows. But how much do you or I even know about Christmas trees? Keeping that in mind I’d like to share a few of my favorite facts about these wonderful trees.
- There are approximately 350 million Christmas trees growing on U.S. farms
- Christmas trees are grown and harvested in all 50 states
- Top Christmas tree producing states are Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Washington, New York and Virginia.
- The first Christmas tree retail lot in the United States was started by Mark Carr in New York, in 1851.
- From 1887-1933 a fishing schooner called the “Christmas Ship” would tie up at the Clark Street Bridge in Chicago and sell spruce trees from Michigan to Chicagoans.
I hope you’ll share these facts with your families while you pick out your prefect tree.
Membership Value Program Business Spotlight: Computer Dynamics/JCWifi located at 451 West South Street, Freeport, IL offer Farm Bureau members the first month free with installation of internet services. To learn more visit www.jcwifi.com or call 815-233-2641.
Stephenson County Farm Bureau open late: On Monday, December 15th the Stephenson County Farm Bureau will remain open until 6:00p.m. to allow members to shop our products and the -McNess inventory. If you have questions, please call 815-232-3186.
Seats still available on Christkindlmarket Bus Trip: Our final trip of 2025 is to the Christkindlmarket on Friday, December 12th. Our drop-off and pickup location will be Christkindlmarket. Attendees will have all day to explore Chicago as they see fit. This trip will depart from the Freeport Walmart at 8:00a.m. and arrive at the Christkindlmarket between 10:30a.m. and 11:00a.m. We will then depart from the Christkindlmarket at 7:00p.m. arriving back at the Freeport Walmart roughly at 9:30p.m. The cost of this trip is $45 for Illinois Farm Bureau members in good standing through December 2025 and $65 for non-Farm Bureau members. This cost includes transportation, parking and driver’s gratuities. Attendees will be responsible for any food and activity costs throughout the day. The Christkindlmarket is outside and will include as much or as little walking as participants would like. To register please call your county Farm Bureau: Carroll County Farm Bureau 815-244-3001 and Stephenson County Farm Bureau 815-232-3186.