Families chop down tradition at local Christmas tree farm

DOWAGIAC, Mich. --- To start Christmas time in Dowagiac, hundreds of families spent Saturday chopping down inches of tradition.

Many trees coming from the Butler Tree Farm were strapped onto tops of vehicles and sent to their new homes.

“It’s our favorite time of year,” said Kate Huth, who, for the past decade, has brought her family to the tree farm.

The owners, Sam and Brenda Butler started the Christmas tree farm back in 1998.

“He wanted to have something here in Dowagiac for families to come here and start their own tradition,” Butler said.

Kate’s husand, Zach, said their family takes traditions seriously.

“Birthday parties, Thanksgiving, Easter, and one of biggest ones, is Christmas,” he said. “And it starts with us coming out here and getting our tree.”

Sam Butler said customers can choose and cut their trees. He said they have thousands to choose from, but the most popular type is the Frazier Fir.

“We’ve been so busy,” Brenda Butler said. “The parking lot is full, the crafts shop’s full, families are visiting Santa.”

But the couple’s favorite part about their business is seeing people come back year after year. Some people even traveling thousands of miles from Chicago, to chop down these trees.

 “Each year its more and more new customers,” Sam Butler said.  “And people will come up and say you’re the butlers, the Butler Tree Farm people.”

For more information about the Butler Tree Farm, click here.