We are a family owned business located in Northern Minnesota. We are very proud of the sustainable way we harvest our trees and balsam tips. Each year, we plant around 2500 seedlings and harvest a thousand of them. Part of this is natural mortality. The deer get a few, the rabbits and mice a few more, and some just don't make the quality we desire for a finished product. These "cull trees" go into wreaths, so they are not wasted. The balance of our boughs for wreaths and garland are harvested daily throughout the season and used within a couple of days to ensure you receive the freshest possible decoration. The boughs are trimmed off the sides of wild balsam trees. This in no way harms the tree, in fact it improves the ultimate quality of the tree for other purposes, and these boughs can be re-harvested every 2-3 years. No wild trees are ever cut down for this process. Our spruce tips are harvested along a large power line that crosses our tree farm. By so doing, we help prevent that area from being mowed or sprayed. We grow these trees near our home in Duluth Minnesota. This is our passion as well as our livelihood, and hopefully the future livelihood of our children and grandchildren. Thank you for being a part of it and allowing us to become part of your Christmas tradition. In recognition of their commitment to sustainability, Doug and Lois Hoffbauer are recipients of the University of Minnesota Farm Family of the Year Award for 2009.