Fordham’s High Plain Tree Farm
In 1974, Greg and Ruth Fordham bought 40 acres near Wabana Lake in Grand Rapids. In the beginning, the land had been abandoned and overgrown, but they saw potential. They spent the next three years clearing brush, picking rocks and preparing the soil. Then came the first seedlings, spruce and Norway pine. They planted more every year, and by 1986, they were selling their first Christmas trees. As the farm grew, they purchased another 30 acres and got the whole family involved. Their children, Kelli, Kristine, Jenny and Jim, helped build what became a well-known spot for retail, wholesale and “Choose & Cut” Christmas trees.
After Greg passed in 2019, Jim and his wife, Sarah, stepped in to carry things forward. They brought new energy and ideas. Jim reopened old fields, started offering landscape trees with a tree spade, and Sarah added wreath-making. In 2020, they made the Christmas season more memorable by adding hot cocoa, a campfire, s’mores and photo spots for families.
Their daughters, Alice and Kate, help out with planting, mowing and sales. Jenny and her husband Mitch pitch in, and Ruth still helps where she can. The Fordhams plant thousands of trees each spring and are active members of the Minnesota Christmas Tree Association, donating to local fundraisers and events year-round.