Allison Hoffbauer and THE HOFFBAUER TREE FARM

By Allison Stucke

It’s going to be a busy couple of months for Allison Hoffbauer and her family, but they love every minute of it. In addition to their jobs teaching with the Duluth Public Schools, and in addition to raising their young daughters Stella, 3, and Sadie, 2, Allison and her husband Jesse help farm the Hoffbauer Tree Farm just outside of Proctor, Minn., with Jesse’s parents, Doug and Lois Hoffbauer. Starting mid-November, they’ll sell their locally grown fresh-cut Christmas trees and other goods at the Duluth Farmers Market, as well as at a pop-up at Super One Foods in West Duluth. Additionally, the Hoffbauer Tree Farm features a small cut-your-own operation on site at the farm for people who want to harvest their own tree.

“We are busy,” Allison said. “November and December are very busy for us. But we wouldn’t have it any other way. We’ll be down at the Farmers Market a lot — even the girls. But we’ll get to share in people’s traditions and family stories. People are usually in a happy place. We get to share their joy.”

The history of the Hoffbauer Tree Farm

Doug and Lois Hoffbauer bought the farm and planted trees in the 1980s. Doug came to be known as “Farmer Doug,” and the Christmas tree business flourished. Jesse has been helping most of his life, and 10 years ago when she moved to Duluth for graduate school, Allison became involved when she and Jesse became a couple.

“I grew up in St. Paul,” she explained. “I came to graduate school at UMD. I fell in love in the outdoors and knew I wanted to stay here. So it kind of makes sense that I married a tree farmer and now I get to farm trees right in my back yard.”

A sign at her wedding told her that trees would be in her future.

“I knew I was destined to be a tree person when we received a tree baler as a gift for our wedding,” she laughed. (A tree baler is a piece of equipment that prepares a tree for transport or shipment.) “It’s a privilege to live this outdoor lifestyle with my family. Jesse and I are lucky to have his parents as teachers. We learn each year more and more what works and what doesn’t.”

Trees grown with love

Now Allison and Jesse live on the farm with their daughters, and growing the trees is a family affair.

“We plant thousands of seedlings in the spring. Then we prune them in the summer, and then it’s cutting and baling time,” Allison explained. “We shape the trees several times a year to make

Continued on page 8

Dr.Thornton received hermedical degree from MorehouseSchoolof Medicine,completed herresidency at Emor yUniversit yHospital,and ranher ownpracticeinAtlanta beforejoining CMH.

Sp ec ialTi eS in : •Minimally-invasivesurgery. •Menopausa lmanagement. •Managementoffibroidsand pelv ic masses.

•Premenstrual disorders.

•Infertility,abnorma lbleeding, andother fema le health issues

No referral necessary.Free, convenientparking available them look like Christmas trees. We do a lot of maple syrup in the spring. In the summer we work on ball and burlap tree projects for landscaping,”

The family works hard, but they love life on the tree farm, Allison said. A favorite season is springtime, when the family does the planting together.

“A lot of the planting is done in May,” Allison said. “It’s always exciting when the snow is finally melting. It gives us a lot of hope. The kids like to separate out the seedlings and hand them to mom and dad. It’s a fun time because everyone gets out together. It’s definitely a family affair. Every person has a role to make the tree season happen.”

Summer is a busy season, with much work to be done.

“Summertime is spent doing a lot pruning and mowing and shaping, getting the Christmas trees to look like the shape of a Christmas tree,” Allison said. “We walk through with the sheers, getting the

Their trees and other products

trees to the shape they need to be.”

“These trees are definitely grown with love,” Allison said.

An outdoor life

The family — including Stella and Sadie — spends lots of time outdoors caring for the trees and just being near the trees.

“They love it,” Allison said of her daughters. “I am fortunate that they get to grow up outside, living an outside lifestyle, as much as toddlers can be outside. We take walks almost every day among the tree farm, so they’re well versed in types of trees. They actually play farmers market.”

Working and playing together with her loved ones outdoors in the fresh air is her dream come true.

If you visit them at the Tree Farm, the Duluth Farmers

FACT:

IN THE NORTHLAND, WE STILL THROW AWAY 480 TONS OF PLASTIC BOTTLES IN THE TRASH EVERY YEAR. THAT’S ENOUGH TO FILL THE RINK AT AMSOIL ARENA 3 FEET HIGH, 52 TIMES.

We’ve made great progress in keeping recyclable products out of our landfills. But the facts show that we have a long way to go. Learn what you can do to recycle more at wlssd.com.

Market, and/or their pop-up shop at West Duluth Super One Foods, you’ll find a variety of fresh-cut trees including balsam, fraser, Siberian, Canaan, Scotch, red pine, exotics, and Charlie Browns. You can also select from table-tops, potted live trees, wreaths, porch pots, kissing balls, garlands, spruce pots, jams, maple syrups, and gifts. There’s a lot to see!

Allison said she and her family look forward to spending time at their booth at the Duluth Farmers Market during the holiday season.

“We get to do a lot of Christmas, just with a lot of other families,” she said. “It’s a really fun time. We really enjoy ourselves. We’re doing something that brings a lot of joy to families and you can’t replace that.” D

Stucke is a Duluth freelance writer and frequent contributor to The Woman Today.