The Tale of the 2009 Grand Champion Christmas Tree of New Jersey
Tucked away in the heart of Mendham at the end of West Field Road is the Hidden Pond Christmas Tree Farm. The country road winds through the woods past the hidden pond to nearly fifty acres where miles of Christmas trees are growing in straight manicured rows.
In 2000 Christian Nicholson and Suzanne deNeufville collaborated to develop the land organically to fulfill its potential for productivity with a positive impact on the environment.
In 2007 the gate at Hidden Pond Christmas Tree Farm was opened to the public to harvest live Christmas trees freshly cut by the consumer.
In August of 2009 Christian was preparing for the third holiday season at Hidden Pond. While pruning the acres of Christmas trees, one special Norway spruce tree caught his eye. It stood tall on a strong, straight trunk. Its lush boughs were beautifully shaped. The tree top was perfectly poised awaiting a Christmas star. Impulsively he harvested that tree and brought it to the NJ State Fairgrounds in Sussex NJ for the annual NJ Christmas Tree Growers Association tree competition.
The tree was judged by a panel of experts to be the 2009 best in class and the overall Grand Champion Christmas Tree.
The Grand Champion Christmas Tree grown from a seedling at Hidden Pond Christmas Tree Farm is the pride of grower Christian Nicholson. The blue ribbon is dedicated to the memory of his late partner Suzanne deNeufville who passed away in March of 2007.
Family and friends old and new come now from NJ, NY and PA to Hidden Pond to enjoy the festivities of the holiday season. There is a hayride to the fields to select and cut your own Christmas tree. The staff is always available to assist. At the “Marshmallow Lounge” there is a campfire to gather around and toast marshmallows. The hospitality house is heated with a pot belly stove where complementary hot chocolate and peppermint sticks are served.
Coldwell Banker congratulates the Hidden Pond Christmas Tree Farm, the proud home of the 2009 Grand Champion Christmas Tree!
For further information about Hidden Pond Christmas Tree Farm, please visit www.hiddenpondtreefarm.com.
(Article by RoseMarie Nicholson, sales associate in the CBMendham office.)
Mendham's Chris Christie Wins Race
Congratulations to Chris Christie, Mendham resident and New Jersey Governor-elect, for his victory at the polls Tuesday, November 3, 2009. We wish him success in his new job.
And many thanks to all the civic minded citizens who ran for office and those who went to the polls to vote on ballot issues and for the candidate of their choice. Long live Democracy!
Affluent Homeowners Focus on Location, Location, Location
PARSIPPANY, N.J. – Homeowners at the highest end of the real estate market still have a dream house in mind and zip code does play a factor in where some call home, according to the 2008 Coldwell Banker Previews International® Luxury Survey. Top locations for a dream home among those surveyed were on an island (27 percent) or in a rural country setting (22 percent), followed by the suburbs (18 percent) or an international destination (18 percent). Additionally, 17 percent of those surveyed confirmed that they have considered moving expressly to obtain a specific address or zip code. Eight percent of respondents actually admitted to having been influenced to purchase a property to "keep up" with friends or family.
Full story >>
