FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 13, 2006
Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Growers Association Announce 2006 Pennsylvania Farm Show Winners
HARRISBURG- McClellan's Tree Farm, Middleburg, PA (Snyder County) exhibited the grand champion Christmas tree at the 2006 Pennsylvania Farm Show. The tree was a Concolor Fir and was selected as the winner from the nearly 1554 votes cast by Farm Show visitors during the two-day voting period. McClellan’s Tree Farm is owned by Richard and Mary McClellan.
Reserve grand champion honors went to Heritage Acres in Bloomsburg, PA (Columbia County) owned by the Campbell family. The tree was a White Pine.
This is the only commodity at the Farm Show where the public gets to choose the Grand Champion, after selections are made by professional judges. It has been a popular activity for visitors since the Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Growers initiated the practice in 1997. This year over 60 trees were exhibited for judging.
The winner goes on to compete at the National level and the winner from National supplies the tree to the White House.
Trees in the competition must have been grown in Pennsylvania on land owned and operated by the exhibitor and must be within six to eight feet. Trees may be either naturally grown or sheared and shaped by the exhibitor.
Listings of all winners by category are as follows:
All Other Pines: Scotch Pine, 1st place: Perry Valley Tree Farm, Millerstown, PA; White Pine, 2nd place: Perry Valley Tree Farm, Millerstown, PA; White Pine, 3rd place: Abraczinskas Nurseries, Inc., Catawissa, PA; White Pine, 4th place: Paul Shealer of Evergreen Acres Tree Farm, Auburn, PA; and White Pine, 5th place: Hidden View Nursery, Schuylkill Haven, PA.
All Other Spruce: Norway Spruce, 1st place: Abraczinskas Nurseries, Inc., Catawissa, PA; Norway Spruce, 2nd place: Perry Valley Tree Farm, Millerstown, PA; Serbian Spruce, 3rd place: Crystal Spring Tree Farm, Lehighton, PA and Norway Spruce, 4th place: Preston Eshelman.
All Other Fir: Balsam Fir, 1st place: Francis Botek of Crystal Spring Tree Farm, Lehighton, PA; Canaan Fir, 2nd place: Tom Balthaser of Perry Valley Tree Farm, Millerstown, PA; Canaan Fir, 3rd place: Heritage Acres, Bloomsburg, PA; Balsam Fir, 4th place: Berkey’s Nursery, Spartansburg, PA; and Canaan Fir, 5th place: Cole Brothers, Biglerville, PA.
Colorado Blue Spruce: 1st place: McClellan’s Tree Farm, Middleburg, PA; 2nd place: Francis Botek of Crystal Spring Tree Farm, Lehighton, PA; 3rd place: Jim Kessler of Kessler's Tree Farm, Hallstead, PA; 4th place: Greg Abraczinskas of Abraczinskas Nurseries, Inc., Catawissa, PA; and 5th place: Bradley Berkey of Berkey’s Nursery, Spartansburg, PA.
Concolor: 2nd place: Crystal Spring Tree Farm, Lehighton, PA; 3rd place: Hill View Tree Farm, Middleburg, PA; 4th place: Abraczinskas Nurseries, Inc., Catawissa, PA; and 5th place: Heritage Farms.
Douglas Fir: 1st place: Crystal Spring Tree Farm, Lehighton, PA; 2nd place: McClellan’s Tree Farm, Middleburg, PA; 3rd place: Perry Valley Tree Farm, Millerstown, PA; 4th place: Michael Campbell of Campbell's Christmas Trees, Sunbury, PA; and 5th place: Evergreen Acres Tree Farm, Auburn, PA.
Fraser Fir: 1st place: Darryl Bowersox of Hill View Tree Farm, Middleburg, PA; 2nd place: Crystal Spring Tree Farm, Lehighton, PA; 3rd place: Berkey’s Nursery, Spartansburg, PA; 4th place: Heritage Acres, Bloomsburg, PA; and 5th place: Galen May of Pine View Haven, St. Thomas, PA.
The Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Growers Association, with over 400 members, works to promote and develop a community of interest among growers of Christmas trees in Pennsylvania and adjoining states, as well as to raise public awareness about Christmas trees.
Bethany Dennis, (717) 238-9765, communications@christmastrees.org