Agri-entertainment or bare essentials? Wisconsin's Christmas tree market adjusts in two directions

With the holidays around the corner, many Wisconsinites are purchasing a Christmas tree. But fewer trees are being grown. Statewide, Christmas tree harvests have dipped 60% in the last 20 years. This rate of decline in Wisconsin is about double the national average.

Possible reasons include the popularity of artificial trees, a dip in production after the Great Recession, and weather-related setbacks. Steven Potter is a freelance reporter for Milwaukee Magazine. In this month’s issue, he wrote about how Wisconsin’s Christmas tree suppliers are adjusting. He spoke with Lake Effect’s Sam Woods.