Huber ’ s began growing Christmas trees about 30 years ago on its Starlight farm . Photo Provided .
Christmas tree farming a steady operation at Huber ’ s
By Aprile Rickert
It could be more than 10 years before the youngest Christmas trees planted in late summer at Huber ’ s Orchard Winery & Vineyards are ready to be carefully selected by families , taken home and decorated with lights and tinsel , to serve as the centerpiece for holiday celebrations .
It ’ s not an easy crop to grow — the varying ages of Douglas Fir , Norway Spruce , Scotch Pine and White Pine trees grown over 50 sprawling acres at the farm require careful maintenance , patience and time . And while some smaller operations may have stopped growing trees , marketing director Lise Buba-Kruer said it ’ s something the Huber family wants to continue providing for families in the Southern Indiana for years to come .
“ There ’ s just something very nostalgic about it ,” she said . “ There ’ s something about the whole process , where the whole family comes together , walking around outside and looking at hundreds of trees until you find one that just speaks to you . And cutting it down yourself , taking it back and putting it up .”
Huber ’ s is now in its seventh generation ; someone from the family has been faming the land for 177 years , with the first commercial operations being dairy farming . From that , Buba-Kruer said they began planting fruits and vegetables to sett at markets , and added the popular “ U-pick ” feature in the 1980s . Thirty years ago when the ownership was in the fifth generation , growing trees seemed a natural fit to what they were offering the community .
36 November / December 2020