By Tricia Pursell
MIDDLEBURG — To Vice President Joe Biden, a Middleburg-grown Fraser fir will be the perfect Christmas tree for his home this holiday season.
The select 11-foot-tall, 12-year-old tree was cut down with a brand new saw on Thursday at McClellan’s Tree Farm, New Berlin Highway.
On Monday, farm owners Richard and Mary McClellan and their son, David, will strap the tree to the top of their minivan and head to Washington, D.C. The tree will be delivered right to the Biden family’s doorstep.
“We’re hoping it’s a nice cool day,” Mary said.
For now, it’s being kept in a shaded area in the back of their main building.
The McClellans earned the honor of supplying this year’s Christmas tree to the vice president’s family after being awarded second-place 2009 Reserve Grand Champion at the National Christmas Tree Grower’s convention in Chattanooga, Tenn. The first-place winner will place an 18 1/2-foot tree in the White House.
An eight-foot tall tree from Hill View Tree Farm in Snyder County was chosen in 2001 for the White House.
This was the second time the McClellans were chosen to participate in the national competition, because one of their trees earned second place out of 75 trees at the Pennsylvania Farm Show competition this year.
The McClellans also were awarded the Grand Champion decorated wreath in a contest at the National Christmas Tree Association convention in Chattanooga.
For the trip south, several large, magnetic signs will be placed around the Bidens’ tree, reading “Destination: Vice President Joe Biden’s residence, Washington D.C.”
The trunk of the tree will be given a fresh cut on Monday, so it will be ready to absorb water, Mary said.
Richard said they also are supplying Biden with another 11-foot pine, which is more narrow and will fit nicely in another part of his home.
For the primary tree, the Bidens had a choice of Concolor fir or Fraser fir. They chose the Fraser, Mary believes, because of its keep-ability. They are pretty resilient, she said.
The McClellans sold their first tree of the year on Wednesday, Richard said. Today, they plan to begin setting up approximately 250 ready-to-buy trees in the front yard. Approximately 60 percent of their customers purchase these pre-cut trees, Richard said, compared to 40 percent who go out into their fields to pick one.
During the holiday season, Mary said she spends 12 hours a day roping and making wreaths. Richard spends about 2,000 hours a year working the 35,000-tree farm.
“I actually like the physical labor,” he said.
He also is appreciative of the contacts he has made with people over the years, fellow tree growers and long-time customers alike.
Will this new publicity increase their business? He thinks so.
“It will help with our business, no doubt about it,” Richard said. He expects sales to increase 5 percent to 10 percent.
About 3,500 trees are planted each year, half of which are exotics. Excess pre-cut Christmas trees go to a local Christmas tree auction each year.
Trees are shaken, bailed and drilled at no extra charge. Also sold are wreaths and roping, stands, preservative and tree bags.
Information is available at mcclellanstreefarm.com.
