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Governor Chooses Christmas Tree

Williamstown, Vermont - November 25, 2009

Governor Jim Douglas walks through rows and rows of trees at the Gilbert Tree Farm looking for a couple beautiful balsams.

"I like a tree that has some real body to it, that is symmetrical, that is the right height for the space that it is going to be in," said Douglas, R-Vermont.

The Williamstown farm has been the winner of the Vermont farm show tree competition for the last three years-- an honor that earns the right to provide the governor's office building with decorative trees for the holidays.

"And we are very proud of our trees, we work very hard on them and we try to keep our area very clean because we have a lot of customers, people with children," tree farmer Mary Gilbert said.

The governor quickly spots what he's looking for.

This family-run farm sells about 900 award-winning trees each season. The majority of those sales will happen in the next three weeks.

Cutting the holiday tree is not only an annual tradition, it's also big business. It's estimated that the 250 tree farms across the state bring in upwards of $10 million every year.

"Most of our trees go out of state," Douglas said. "They get sold in Southern New England, New York, and New Jersey. I want to be sure that every Vermont family thinks about buying a Vermont tree this holiday season."

Both trees will be on display at the Pavilion building in Montpelier. One will be used as a "mitten tree" to collect scarves, hats and other winter items for less fortunate families throughout the state.

Owners of the Gilbert farm hope their high-profile balsams encourage others to shop locally.

"This is what keeps tree farms, dairy farms, any kind of farm going in Vermont, and it's tough right now," Gilbert said.

But even a bad economy-- or dreary weather for that matter-- cannot dampen the tradition of finding that perfect tree.

Adam Sullivan - WCAX News