At the top of a hill east of Ottawa in Franklin County sits a bright tinsel snowman greeting you as you enter the Memory Lane Christmas Tree farm.

High–school–aged workers invite you to look at the pre-cut firs and pines in the red barn or just outside of it. Guests pick a tree, then the employees use a mechanical “shaker” to remove any snow, loose needles and any rogue squirrels lingering among the branches.

“After we shake off any extra needles and snow, we cut about an inch off the trunk so it’s fresh, then net the trees and help customers carry it to their vehicle,” said one of the employees.

Spruced Up Memories

The Pleasant Ridge farm, owned by Harry and Juanita Peckham, has been in the Peckham family since Harry’s grandpa homesteaded the area in 1914. The land the Christmas tree farm operates on was purchased in 1986. It doubles as a pumpkin patch in the fall.

“The farm is a century farm from 1914,” Harry says. “My grandfather moved down here from Nebraska. When the farm crisis was happening in the ‘80s, we wanted a new way to diversify so we started the pumpkin patch and Christmas tree farm. It hasn’t just helped us survive the difficult years, we’ve also loved being able to make people happy.”

The Pleasant Ridge name came from the one-room schoolhouse Harry attended.

“The schoolhouse is still in the same location and in pretty good shape,” Harry says.

Scotch pines grow on the acreage for families to cut for their holiday tradition, or Fraser and Balsam that are pre-cut and brought in to sell.

“Since some trees don’t grow very well in Kansas and we’ve been experiencing drought, we supplement by bringing in trees from Michigan in June,” Harry says. “Our shearing crew also comes in from Michigan.”

Most people prefer a cone-shaped Christmas tree, and shearing trees is a laborious task. The crew Harry hires is made up of about eight or nine shearers who can get the job done faster.

“They sheared about 500 trees in less than an hour,” Harry says. “It would probably take me three or four weeks working for a couple of hours in the morning to do that.”

In addition to the pumpkins and Christmas trees is a lighted driving tour down memory lane that features approximately 60 displays, many of them sponsored by community organizations and businesses.

“We couldn’t do this without the sponsors,” Harry says.

One display, the Memory Tree, is a 40-foot oak tree wrapped in lights. Also featured is a small kiosk and bulletin board that shares some guests’ memories of visiting Memory Lane and Peckham's Pumpkin Patch.

“We’re getting people coming through now who say they came as kids and now they’re bringing their own kids,” Harry says. “We may be selling pumpkins and Christmas trees, but our business is in making memories.”

Deck the Governor’s Halls

The Peckhams were selected to provide Gov. Laura Kelly with a Christmas tree this year, an annual opportunity for Kansas Christmas tree growers and tradition for the governor. The tree was brought in on a horse-drawn carriage in November to the Governor’s Mansion, Cedar Crest. The nine-foot Austrian pine was set up with help from the Kansas Forestry Service and Francis, the governor’s cat.

“This is our third opportunity to provide the governor with a tree,” Harry says. “The Kansas Christmas Tree Growers Association selects the farm based off who hosts their summer meeting. We enjoy the opportunity to showcase our farm and celebrate the holidays.”

Trees for Troops

Not only do the Peckhams donate a tree to the Kansas governor, but they also donate trees to the Christmas Spirit Foundation’s Trees for Troops program.

Christmas tree growers around the nation donate Christmas trees that are distributed to military families free of charge.

“I’ll be taking this pickup load of trees and a trailer of another 60 trees to Wichita tomorrow,” Harry says proudly.

The trees are collected at a specific drop-off point and FedEx delivers them to U.S. military bases.

Throughout the past 18 years, nearly 300,000 Christmas trees have been delivered to military families through the program.

Farm Bureau Festivities

Harry and Juanita have created a welcoming atmosphere at Pleasant Ridge/Memory Lane. Their red barn offers customers hot chocolate, popcorn and other refreshments, plus opportunities to purchase Christmas décor and wreaths.

The Peckhams are also Farm Bureau members in Franklin County, where they host an annual event to offer a discount on their entrance fee for Farm Bureau members (originally $10), plus a fire pit offering free s’mores.

"We love having Harry and Juanita Peckham as proud Farm Bureau members and enthusiastic contributors to the festive spirit in Franklin County,” says Lisa Rivers, Franklin County Farm Bureau coordinator. “Our annual Farm Bureau event is a warm welcome to the Christmas season with community support in a fun atmosphere.”

To learn more about Pleasant Ridge, visit www.pleasantridge.com. For more information about the Trees for Troops program, visit www.christmasspiritfoundation.org/trees-for-troops. Keep up to date on the Farm Bureau member event next year by following Franklin County Farm Bureau on Facebook at www.facebook.com/franklinfb. 

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