Christmas Tree Farms
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Christmas Tree Farms
“The Hall family of Springfield [pictured at left] add a bit of tradition to the holiday by cutting down what they believe is the perfect Christmas tree at Sunshine Christmas Tree Orchard. Eric and Debbie Hall tote the tree back while 7-year-old son Aaron carries the chainsaw.”
Cliff Johnson, his wife Terry, and their three children also chose to cut down their Christmas tree at Sunshine Christmas Tree Orchard on West Sunshine Street. They also felt it would become a family tradition.
Art Haseltine, who owned the Sunshine Christmas Tree orchard with his brother, Mark, and sister, Mary McQueary, said that unusually cold weather had hurt business but overall sales had been good. The Haseltines decided in 1980 to plant Christmas pines on part of a large apple orchard that had been in the family for five generations. Art Haseltine said there were 12,000 trees planted on the land.
Russell Dean, owner of the 45-acre Dean’s Berry and Christmas Tree Farm on West Battlefield Road, said he had also sold more trees but reduced the price on some trees to ten dollars from sixteen dollars to clear a lot for replanting so his profits were down. Sunshine Orchard sold its trees for three dollars a foot to a maximum of nineteen dollars.
--News-Leader, December 18, 1989
The image of the Hall family is part of From the Darkroom: Springfield's Historic Newspaper Photographs.
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