Tree Farm ready for holiday season

Owners preach importance of real trees compared to artificial trees
By: 
Luke Reimer
Reporter

With the Thanksgiving turkey and all the trimmings a happy memory, many families turn next to bringing home this year’s Christmas tree, and cut-your-own-tree farms are as popular as ever.

Whispering Pines Tree Farm in Oconto, Hanauer’s Tree Farm in Shawano and Korbisch’s Tree Farm in Wittenberg all report they are expecting many visitors this year.

Carolann Yeska, co-owner of Whispering Pines said that the tree farm also serves as a gift shop, featuring a gift shop with Christmas themed ornaments.

“After Thanksgiving, this is a place for families to come and pick out their tree and ride out on wagons pulled by tractors that are decorated like trains,” Yeska said. “It is crazy how much time people can spend picking the perfect tree.”

Whispering Pines also has a nice selection of pre-cut trees and wreaths, she added.

“A lot of people don’t need all of the hoopla, they just want to come and get a tree,” Yeska said.

Whispering Springs is not the only tree farm that offers a family friendly experience.

“Visitors come here, where we have 140 acres,” said Hanauer’s owner Dan Hanauer. “People just have the farm at their disposal, where they can wander around and just have some fun.”

Hanauer also mentioned that tractors are available at the farm, just like Whispering Pines.

“We have tractor rides circulating with hay rides and assistance in bringing trees back to their cars,” Hanauer said. “Some people just like to ride the wagon just for fun.”

Hanauer has made it a point to make the tree farm a fun time for families.

“This is more about the experience than it is about the tree,” said Hanauer. “People want the tree, but if you watch the kids and pets, it is just a wonderful experience. We have had people come and cut their tree and ask if they can just ride the wagon around.”

Hanauer said seeing families have fun is the most enjoyable part for him and his family.

“People are here because they want to be here, not because they have to be,” he said.

He added that Christmas tree sales usually pick up right after Thanksgiving, but in the recent years, he has noticed more business across the board.

“I think recently, there has been an increased emphasis on buying locally,” said Hanauer.

Sally Korbisch, who co-owns Korbisch’s Tree Farm in Wittenberg, has a unique way that families can spend time together at the farm.

“We don’t have any hay rides or anything like that,” said Korbisch. “We just send people out in our over-the-river-and-through-the-woods walk.”

This walk allows visitors to explore through Korbisch’s property on a bridge over the Embarrass River, where they get a picturesque look of the river.

“This is just kind of a meeting spot for families to hangout,” said Korbisch. “Everyone gets to hear all of the family news in the area.”

She added that as the season approached, visitors stopped by to get their Christmas trees early.

“We have had more than we have expected,” said Korbisch. “I am sure a big uptick will come pretty shortly after Thanksgiving.”

Korbisch also features an area where visitors can feed donkeys, sheep and an alpaca.

All three of the business owners mentioned the importance of selling natural trees, compared to artificial trees.

“Trees take carbon out of the atmosphere,” said Hanauer. “These trees are planted as a crop. There are more trees on our planet because of the industry, not in spite of it. Artificial trees go into a landfill, while ours get mulched and returned to the natural cycle.”

Korbisch said natural trees are popular due their “realness.”

“The needles are falling and it such a great smell,” said Korbisch. “They have that nostalgia feeling.”

Yeska noticed that more people are coming in this year to buy real trees.

“I know we had one lady who has had an artificial tree for 30 years and made the switch to real,” said Yeska. “Real trees provide oxygen for us, and they help the environment.”

Unlike many businesses, the tree farm owners said they saw an increase in business in 2020, due to people wanting to get outside during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Business was way up last year due to people wanting to get outside,” Korbisch said. “We don’t know if people will come back this year, but last year was giant.”

Yeska said Whispering Pines saw a lot of early business last year due to COVID-19.

“I think last year with COVID, people were nervous and wanted to come early,” said Yeska. “I think that trend has continued this year.”

Korbisch said getting a Christmas tree was something for families could do together during COVID.


lreimer@newmedia-wi.com