will present the official White House Christmas Tree to First Lady Michelle Obama for the 2011 Christmas season to be displayed in the Blue Room.
 

“Since an American farmer gets to provide a Christmas Tree they grew for the White House to display, it strengthens the fact that farm-grown trees are such an important tradition in our country,” says NCTA President Richard Moore, a Christmas Tree grower from Groton, N.Y. “There is nothing better for our industry than toshowcase our farm crop in the most famous house in America.”
 

The Schroeder’s had entered trees from their farm in the national contest before. To enter the national contest, growers must first win their state / regional competitions. 2011 was the fourth year the Schroeder’s had done that and entered a tree in the national contest. Finally winning the contest and earning Grand Champion status validated their hard work and persistence, said Sue Schroeder. “Entering but not winning the national contest is

both rewarding and frustrating, knowing that you were so close, but finally winning is 100 percent exciting,” said Schroeder. “I know we’ll love the experience and we wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

A Scotch pine tree, entered by Dan and Ken Wahmoff, owners of Wahmoff Farms in Gobles, Mich., was selected as the Reserve Champion. Traditionally, the Reserve Champion farmers have been able to provide a fresh Christmas tree from their farm for the residence of the Vice President.

White House staff will travel to the Schroeder’s’ Wisconsin farm this fall to select the tree to be displayed in the Blue Room, serving as the centerpiece of the holiday decorations. The Blue Room tree will need be much bigger than the 6 to 8 foot contest trees, 18 ½ feet tall to be exact. The selected tree will be harvested and presented in shortly after Thanksgiving.