While most people have not even thought about what they are going to be wearing for Halloween, Neil and Deb Krueger are already busy making preparations for the Christmas season. Their farm has been supplying the Stillwater/Lake Elmo with beautiful trees for over 50 years and they want this season to be just as productive as all the others.

The Krueger farm has been in their family for over 90 years and for three generations they have been using the land to grow fir or pine trees using sustainable farming. Their techniques are cost effective and better for the environment than regular tree farms.

Sustainable farming depends on the rain and the sun, not heavy chemical cocktails to help the trees grow each season. The only reason that Krueger’s farm would use pesticides would be if harmful pests are found on the trees.

Neil and Deb Krueger’s son John who also works on the family farm said, “Sustainability is just a piece of what we do. While other farms are putting money into chemicals and fertilizers instead we save our customers that money and give them a better product.

These “fresh air factories” as Neil puts it, need to be rotated with a different Christmas tree species every ten years to prevent mono-cultures of soil and are as important to them as to their customers.

Sophomore Claire Sluss said, “Yes it is important to me. I want my family to buy the most environmentally friendly tree that we can,” when asked if sustainable farming played a part in her family’s choice of a tree.

The Christmas trees on the Krueger farm do much more than simply look nice in a family’s living room, they also help the environment.

Neil added, “Fields of growing Christmas trees provide many years of habitat for birds and animals as well as food and protection. Roots help prevent soil erosion and growing trees encourages rainfall.

Not only is this farm providing environmentally friendly trees at cost effective prices they are helping to inform the youth about how to take care of the environment.

John explained, “Schools come out for tours during the fall and Christmas seasons. While here on the farm we explain why trees are important, how to be environmentally conscious, and what it is like to be a farmer.”

The smells, sounds and laughter that come with the experience of picking out a tree every year at Krueger’s Farm are far more superior than buying a fake tree from a big box store.