In the heart of Dorrance Township, Luzerne County, Helen and Ed’s Tree Farm thrives as a beacon of holiday tradition in Pennsylvania. Ed and Beth Myslowski have nurtured this family-owned farm since its inception, offering a variety of Christmas trees for both cutting and pre-selection.
Helen and Ed’s journey began in 1963, selling their first Christmas trees from a modest lot in Mountain Top. Over the decades, the farm evolved into a destination where families can select and cut their own trees. Initially planted with Scotch pines, the farm now boasts an array of evergreens including Norway Spruce, Blue Spruce, Douglas and Fraser firs, and white pine. For those preferring convenience, pre-cut trees are also available, with staff on hand to drill, bale, and secure the trees for transport.
Adding to the festive atmosphere, Cathy Malkemes operates a hot cocoa stand at the farm on weekends leading up to Christmas. Proceeds from her stand support ALS One Hope, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting families affected by ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Malkemes founded the organization in 2017 in memory of her husband, Kenneth L. Malkemes Jr., who succumbed to ALS. The nonprofit provides a variety of supports, including gift cards, monetary assistance, medical equipment, and home renovations to enhance comfort for patients, as highlighted on its Facebook page.
Christmas Tree Traditions: A Look Back
The tradition of Christmas trees has ancient roots, stretching back to the Romans and Egyptians, according to the History Channel. These ancient cultures valued the resilience of evergreen trees, associating them with life during the winter months. During the 17th century in Germany, families often adorned wooden pyramids with evergreen boughs and candles, a practice mirrored by Moravians in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, around 1747. It was the German community in Pennsylvania that introduced indoor evergreens to the U.S. in the 1820s.
The first recorded Christmas tree in Pennsylvania was noted by Lancaster resident Matthew Zahn in an 1821 diary entry, as documented by the Monroe County Historical Society. Initially met with skepticism by some Americans as pagan symbols, the popularity of Christmas trees surged in 1846 following a widely circulated sketch of Queen Victoria and her family around a Christmas tree. The U.S. embraced the tradition, with President Calvin Coolidge initiating the national Christmas tree lighting ceremony in 1923 and the first tree at Rockefeller Center appearing in 1931.
The Present Landscape of Christmas Tree Farms
The first Christmas tree farm in the United States was established in Mercer County, New Jersey, as noted by the Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Growers Association. Pennsylvania now hosts over 1,400 Christmas tree farms, including Helen and Ed’s, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The state ranks second in the nation for the number of Christmas tree farms and fourth for the number of trees cut annually.
Spanning nearly 31,000 acres, Pennsylvania’s tree farms produce approximately 1 million cut trees each year, underscoring the industry’s significant role in the state’s agricultural landscape.
