From Blue Ridge to Blue Room: Local tree selected for White House display
Rusty Estes and Beau Estes cut down an 18 ½-foot Fraser fir Christmas tree on their farm in Jefferson Wednesday and sent it to the White House.
The father and son duo won the National Christmas Tree Association Grand Champion Grower award this summer for the third time. Every year since 1966, Christmas tree growers compete for the title to have their tree decorate the Blue Room in the White House.
Dale Haney, White House superintendent of grounds, and James Pinkerton, White House garden supervisor, visited Peak Farms Oct. 20 to select the Christmas tree. Later this month, the Estes will present the tree to First Lady Jill Biden at the White House.
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Jesse (he/him) is an Interdisciplinary Studies, Documentary Studies in Appalachia major from Sawmills, N.C. This is his third year with The Appalachian.
