NEENAH (NBC 26) — Sue and Tom Schroeder are celebrating a golden anniversary this Christmas season as their backyard Christmas tree farm, Schroeder's Forevergreens, marks 50 years of operation in Neenah.
What started as a way to supplement income during slow winter months for their auto upholstery business has grown into a multi-award-winning operation that has even supplied trees to the White House.
Humble beginnings with big dreams
Sue Schroeder admits they had no idea what they were getting into when they started the business five decades ago.
"Absolutely not," Schroeder said when asked if she knew what they were getting into 50 years ago.
The decision to start the tree farm was driven by practical necessity.
"We needed to supplement our income. We have an auto upholstery business that always slowed down in the winter," Schroeder said.
Her husband Tom's optimistic assessment proved to be an understatement.
"So my husband said, How hard can it be?" she recalled with a laugh.
Learning through trial and error
The journey hasn't always been smooth for the Schroeders, who learned the business through experience.
"We've done everything wrong, a few things right," Schroeder said honestly about their five-decade journey.
Despite the challenges, the family operation has thrived and earned recognition, including the honor of providing trees for the White House.
Schroeder proudly showed off a photo of herself with former First Lady Michelle Obama, as well as an image of their tree decorated in the Blue Room at the White House.
Home transforms into Christmas destination
Each year, the Schroeder property transforms from a typical residential home into a Christmas tree destination as soon as the iconic trees are ready for harvest.
The backyard operation has become a beloved tradition for families in the Fox Cities area, combining the personal touch of a family business with the quality that has earned them awards and recognition.
Giving back to military families
Beyond serving local customers, Schroeder's Forevergreens continues a tradition of giving back to military families by donating trees to active service members at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
A truck was scheduled to arrive on Friday to load up donated trees for delivery to military families over the weekend, extending the Christmas spirit beyond the Fox Cities.
Reflecting on five decades
Looking back on their half-century in the Christmas tree business, Sue Schroeder expressed satisfaction with their journey.
"It's just, it's been a good, good run," she said.
The milestone anniversary represents not just business success, but a family legacy that has brought Christmas joy to thousands of families while supporting military personnel far from home.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
