Area students take part in tree-cutting event
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the 72nd Alice in Dairyland Abigail Martin joined area students at a special tree-cutting event in Walworth County recently.
Fourth and fifth grade students from Walworth, Sharon, Fontana and Reek Elementary schools were present when Martin cut down a Christmas tree to mark the start of the 2019 Christmas tree season Nov. 14 at Countryside Tree Farm, W7015 North Walworth Rd. in Walworth.
The students spent the morning with Martin learning about Wisconsin agriculture and the Christmas tree industry at Countryside Tree Farm – a family-owned Wisconsin farm producing cut-your-own and fresh-cut Christmas trees, wreaths, garland, and boughs.
Additional education stations featured students from the Delavan-Darien and Lake Geneva FFAs, as well as the Walworth County DNR wildlife biologist. Big Foot FFA Alumni Chapter covered the transportation costs for the event.
The ceremonial first Christmas tree cutting by Alice in Dairyland is held mid-November each year on a different Wisconsin tree farm in partnership with the Wisconsin Christmas Tree Producers Association to mark the beginning of the Wisconsin Christmas tree season.
Alice in Dairyland is a contract employee of DATCP and serves one year as Wisconsin’s agricultural ambassador educating media, students and communities about the state’s $104.8 billion agriculture industry. This event is one of several leading up to the selection of the 73rd Alice in Dairyland in the spring (see details below.)
Wisconsin is the nation’s fifth-largest Christmas tree producer, with an annual harvest of more than 600,000 trees valued at more than $16 million. There are more than 850 Christmas tree farms in the state, covering more than 23,600 acres.
Sponsor the finals
Members and businesses of the greater community are invited and encouraged to become sponsors of the 2020 Alice in Dairyland finals, which will be held May 14-16 in Walworth County.
Sponsorship amounts and levels are as follows: $5,000, Tiara Circle; $2,500, Diamond; $1,000, Gold; $500, Amethyst; $250, Citrine; and, $100, Friends of Alice.
The official process for choosing the next Alice will begin in January 2020, when the State Department of Trade and Consumer Protection will accept applications.
In March there will be an announcement in Walworth County naming the final candidates. The selection will follow in May.
The steering committee is responsible for raising the needed funds to cover the cost of those two events – the announcement event and the finals, the first time Walworth County has been selected to do so.
In preparation for the finals, Martin has and will continue to visit the county at a variety of events to showcase the diversity of local agriculture.
To sponsor the finals send an email to chairalice2020@gmail.com or aliceindairyland2020@ gmail.com.
For more information about Alice in Dairyland visit aliceindairyland.com.
