In 1988, the year after our son arrived, we purchased an existing Christmas Tree farm just under an hour away from Luray. This new undertaking, in addition to our regular jobs, kept us busy. Soon after, my brother and I began planting Christmas Trees on a nearby farm. The first year almost every tree we planted died due to extreme drought. Fortunately, we had better success in the years that followed. In the mid 1990s we began planting Christmas Trees at our present location in Luray — on the family farm which was purchased by my mom and dad in 1954.

Growing beautiful Christmas Trees is a long term endeavor taking 8 plus years to grow a 7 foot tree. We start with a 3 year old seedling planted by hand. If it makes it thru the first year, survival chances improve, however, many obstacles remain including needle chomping and other insects, various diseases, droughts, late frosts, hail, deer, rabbit and vole damage, and others. We plant, mow, fertilize, scout for insects and diseases and control weeds. After the first couple years we shape every tree by hand and continue each year until time to harvest.