Hackert Tree Farm closes in on final holiday sales season

The holiday season is officially underway, and Ken and Verna Hackert, owners of Hackert Tree Farm located off Hwy. F62 between Sully and Lynnville, are gearing up for what will be their final Saturday of Christmas tree sales in the business’s 16 years of selling the holiday icon.

Over two decades ago, the Hackerts planted their first Christmas trees in 1993. The historic floods that year affected the couple’s inaugural venture, resulting in many of the 1,000 initially-planted trees not surviving. Not deterred, however, the Hackerts continued to plant seedlings each year as they patiently waited the seven to eight years it takes to grow a Scotch or white pine Christmas tree from a seedling. Fast forward a few years to 2000, and those first tiny seedlings were fully grown and ready to become the decorated centerpiece of a holiday home.

The Arkema family poses by their new tree, which Anna won at Sully Night Out on Nov. 19: Front row, from left, Andrew, Kate, and Evan Arkema; back: Anna and Darin Arkema.

The Arkema family poses by their new tree, which Anna won at Sully Night Out on Nov. 19: Front row, from left, Andrew, Kate, and Evan Arkema; back: Anna and Darin Arkema.

For 16 years, the Hackerts have wel-comed local families and families from across the state to the farm in search of the perfect Christmas tree. In addition to the Scotch pine Christmas trees, beautiful wreaths and swags are creat-ed and sold each holiday season. This year will mark the final year Christmas trees are sold at Hackert Tree Farm; Verna is unsure if they will continue to make and sell wreaths and swags.

“We decided it was time to quit the Christmas tree business because of our age. Christmas trees are the most labor intensive part of the tree farm,” said Verna.

Hackert Tree Farm was open for Christmas tree sales Nov. 25-26 and will be open again on Saturday, Dec. 3, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. to close their final holiday sale season.

While the couple will no longer be in the Christmas tree business, Verna assures that Hackert Tree Farm will still continue to sell a wide variety of trees. The farm boasts several varieties of evergreen trees that make excellent windbreaks and a large variety of oak and maple trees, which burst with brilliant color in the fall, along with other trees available for purchase.

“We enjoy working with trees and hope to continue operating the tree farm,” said Verna. She added the couple’s son, Jamie, has been planting trees for several years, and she hopes Hackert Tree Farm will be in business long after they retire.

The Beyer family has been picking the perfect tree from Hackert Tree Farm since it opened. They are pictured with the tree they've tagged this year: From left, Barry, Kelsey, Nick (holding puppy Jaeger), and Linda Beyer. As Linda said, "It's not Christmas until the Beyer family gets here!

The Beyer family has been picking the perfect tree from Hackert Tree Farm since it opened. They are pictured with the tree they've tagged this year: From left, Barry, Kelsey, Nick (holding puppy Jaeger), and Linda Beyer. As Linda said, "It's not Christmas until the Beyer family gets here!

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