The First Christmas Tree Farm

Christmas tree farms appear part of the American landscape, but it wasn’t always so.

Prior to the early 1900's, people trudged into the forest, chopped down a tree and carted it home.  As forests were denuded, there was concern the country was losing a valuable and precious resource.

Into this mix stepped a business school graduate and New Jersey farmer.  He had land unsuitable for other crops and the little light bulb went off in his head.   115 years ago William McGalliard started a tradition still going strong today.  The only argument still left is the real thing or artificial?

For some, the notion of a plastic tree is anathema as it symbolizes the commercial nature of Christmas.  For others with allergies, the artificial tree was the next great invention after Christmas tree farms.