Historical Timeline
| 1950 ⇔ 1955 ⇔ 1960-70's ⇔ 1983 ⇔ 1980's ⇔ 1992 ⇔ 1992-94 |
| 1992-2004 ⇔ 2000 ⇔ 2002 ⇔ 2005 ⇔ 2007 ⇔ 2009 |
1950:
The first pine trees are planted by Al and Elaine Krueger on their farm in Stillwater, MN, as a way to prevent soil erosion and promote reforestation. » Return to top
1955:
The many trees needed to be thinned as they grew. The Krueger's first began giving the trees away to friends and neighbors. As time went on they began selling them to the public. » Return to top
1960-70's:
Krueger Tree Farm was formed and slowly grew larger each year. The farm became known throughout the Twin Cities for quality trees and great service. » Return to top
1983:
The Krueger's oldest son, Neil, and his wife, Deb, bought a farm in nearby Lake Elmo, MN. The farm had previously been owned and farmed by Neil's grandparents. Sprucegate Farm was born as second-generation growers Neil and Deb began planting a few acres of trees. » Return to top
1980's:
Krueger Tree Farm continued to boom at the Stillwater location. Hundreds of families made the annual trip to the farm for their Christmas trees. Sprucegate Farm also planted more trees each year. Harsh droughts in the late 1980's were devastating on the farm but more trees were planted. » Return to top
1992:
Sprucegate Farm harvests their first crop and begins selling trees in Lake Elmo. A major business change was made as choose-and-cut trees were offered for the first time, in addition to the traditional mainstay of pre-cut trees. » Return to top
1992-94:
Both farms operate concurrently, but vast majority of business is at Krueger Tree Farm. » Return to top
1994:
Al and Elaine decide to sell their farm due to health and financial concerns. Neil and Deb work to convert as many customers as possible to Sprucegate Farm. » Return to top
1994-2004:
Neil and Deb continue to plant trees and grow Sprucegate Farm with their children, Amy and John. Customers are drawn to the farm for its proximity to the Twin Cities, quality trees, tree farm experience, and cut-your-own and pre-cut trees. » Return to top
2000:
Neil and Deb purchase an additional 12 acres of land adjacent to the current farm. Total acreage is now approximately 48 acres. » Return to top
2002:
The fourth generation of Krueger's are born. » Return to top
2005:
The Krueger's celebrate their 50th year of selling Christmas trees. The tree barn is expanded, nearly doubling the indoor retail space. » Return to top
2007:
Sprucegate Farm changes it's name to Krueger's Christmas Trees. The warming house was expanded in size to allow for more space for customers. The parking lot and tree lot were also re-graded to create better customer flow and improve safety. The farm was also connected to city water services, providing the opportunity to irrigate new seedlings. » Return to top
2009:
The Krueger Christmas Trees website is redesigned. The new format provides more information on the farm, including hours, latest news, trees, services, history, directions, and environmental information. Krueger's Christmas Trees was also awarded the first-ever Justin Bradshaw Service Award from the United Way for the farm's contributions to the organization. » Return to top