“A little extra money, all the kids did the work - the planting, the mowing, weed pulling and trimming,” said Chris’ wife, Jenny. The planting of 1,000 trees during the first seven years, symbolizing each of the seven children, laid the foundation for their present-day operation. Priority back then, the Christmas trees evolved into a labor of love, dedicated to funding the education of seven children. While growing corn and raising cattle and hogs on the 750-acre farm was the
This year commemorates the 60th anniversary of when Chris’ father, Mark, planted the initial 1,000 trees on the family farm southeast of Cumming in Madison County.
“We started selling trees in 1970, and I’ve been here ever since.” “I’d carry the chain saw around for my Dad,” Chris said with a laugh. Chris Howell fondly remembers as a toddler helping on the family’s Christmas tree farm.Īt 5 years old, he would tag along as his father and workers planted, tended to or cut down the trees for customers each year.
