NEW BERLIN, Wis. — With Thanksgiving in the rearview mirror, local families are getting into the Christmas spirit with the Waukesha County Land Conservancy third annual Christmas tree harvest.
For the Koelbl’s of New Berlin, Christmas time just doesn’t feel right without the right tree. Terry and his wife went for one of the biggest one they could find in the Calhoun Creek Prairie.
Then they sawed it down.
With the tree ready to bring home, Terry Koelbl has his mind on his loved ones.
“It’s just a family grouping that we usually do. Our grandkids are usually with us,” Terry Koelbl said. “Every year, they have been with us, but this year, they are not available.”
Tim Sumic of Wauwatosa and his family have also picked out their Christmas tree.
“It’s a good way for the community to go out into the neighborhood and cut your own tree, which we have never done before, and you get to be around people who are doing the same thing,” he said. “There’s something special about cutting down your own tree and being around people.”
The Waukesha County Land Conservancy purchased the Calhoun Creek Prairie a few years ago when it used to be a Christmas tree farm.
The agency’s executive director, Meghan Wersel, said they wanted to preserve the holiday tradition but also get rid of the trees because they are not native to the area.
“Any tree that is cut down is helping us. We are working to restore this prairie to a more natural native state,” she said. “We have done a lot of prairie restoration over this piece and in the back area so as we remove more trees, more of that restoration will be able to be done, but we will have more prairie for our native pollinators and things like that.”
As Sumic and his family secure the tree on top of the car, he said he will treasure moments like this for years to come.
“We have a long time to go for Christmas time, lots of memories to share, so it’s a beautiful thing to be with family and cutting down your own tree,” Sumic said. “So it’s a very special time.”
Koelbl said he looks forward to spending Christmas with his grandkids and is thankful that the tree wasn’t too hard to cut down.
“You couldn’t ask for a more perfect day when you get 55 degree day at the end of November,” said Koelbl.
Both Sumic and Koelbl are happy to carry on a time-honored holiday tradition while also helping out their local environment.