The Samuels Family planted the first of hundreds of thousands of Christmas tree seedlings at Foxfire in spring of 1968. During these next years of trial and error farming, when we tried several different varieties to see what suited the site best, the farm was an endless “learning experience” for us. We were planting 10,000 seedlings each year, and the whole family got into the operation. Robert’s Dad, Levi, would sort the seedlings for us so we could take advantage of every daylight minute, reload the planting trays, and go again… and as the children grew big enough, they earned their spending money riding the planter and later, dragging the trees to the baling area.

The Samuels at the Wreath Factory, 1983

In 1978 Robert retired from the Air Force, and we moved from Washington D.C. to live full-time at the farm, in the house that had already raised several families before ours arrived, and which we had remodeled to include such luxuries as hot water and indoor plumbing. Our first big crop was coming in, and we began to develop both wholesale and Choose-and-Cut tree sales. In 1981 we added the Scotch pine wreaths our customers have enjoyed to our product list, and in 1983 added the spot to make those wreaths, the Wreath Factory.

By 1991, we had finished building our “Dream House” and the farmhouse became home for another growing family for the next eight years. When it was empty again we decided it was time for another remodeling to rent to folks we thought might share our joy in the natural beauty and recreational opportunities of the farm.