Jim and Nancy

As second generation owners, Jim Nickelson and Nancy Pakulak continue the tradition of the family owned and operated farm. Their father, Bill Nickelson, started the business in 1956 when he purchased an existing farm that was planted to Scotch pine. He took great interest in the business. After years of dairy farming, he sold the dairy herd and went into full-time production of Christmas trees.

Our nursery

Jim Nickelson, along with Nancy's husband, Jimmy Pakulak, continue to grow the fine quality nursery stock our customers have come to expect.  Anticipating the changing needs of the Christmas tree and landscape industries, conservation districts, and private landowners, the business continues to evolve to meet these changing needs.

Nursery Beds

Our location slightly inland from Lake Michigan gives us ideal conditions to grow nursery stock. Our moderate snow pack helps protect the fragile young plants from extreme cold and the damaging effect of winterburn.

Our soil

Maintaining soil texture has helped us sustain the quality of plants that we have today. We are still growing quality seedlings and transplants on the same soil that was planted in 1957. Our soil is a rich, sandy loam that has been carefully maintained through time tested practices of fallow, rotation and enrichment. With the use of green manures and compost manures, we ensure soil stability that continues to product top quality nursery stock with every harvest.

Korean fir

We have offered "exotic" (non-native) conifers in the last few years. If you have planted these in the past, we are always interested in your results. If there is something that you would be interested in us adding, please let us know. Customer input is very important to us.

David and Jeanie

David Lockovich assists in maintaining the nursery beds, harvest and packs nursery stock as well as assists Jim with pruning and harvesting Christmas trees.  Jeanie Anderson, our cousin, has done an outstanding job as Office Manager. Both have been with us since the 1970s and can easily assit you with any questions you may have.

White Pine

In 1977, Jimmy and Nancy Pakulak started a tree seed extraction operation, Pakulak Seed and Nursery Company.  Extracted tree seed species include red pine, eastern white pine, jack pine, northern white cedar, white spruce and Norway spruce. Seed is tested at the USDA Seed Testing Laboratory in Georgia. High quality seed with high germination rate is sent nationwide every year.