Ted and Toni Hagenbucher of Colton, Ore. come to Kaua’i about this time each year, laden not only with suitcases, but also several containers of Christmas trees that go on sale the day following Thanksgiving. “It’s like a tradition,” Toni
Ted and Toni Hagenbucher of Colton, Ore. come to Kaua’i about this time each year, laden not only with suitcases, but also several containers of Christmas trees that go on sale the day following Thanksgiving.
“It’s like a tradition,” Toni said as she shuffled through the orders from resorts, individuals and organizations that require special trees beyond the normal consumer market.
The couple were on hand early last Friday morning in the grass lot behind the ABC store in Kapa’a, a new distribution location from their normal Hanamaulu Cafe parking lot. Also on hand were the Hagenbuchers’ Kaua’i connection, Stan Kono and his army of volunteers from the Waipouli Variety Store.
Toni explained that her husband used to sell silk flowers, and through this avenue became acquainted with Kono. When Toni’s brother, Chester Friend, acquired a Christmas tree farm in Oregon, Ted called on Kono. And that was the birth of a relationship that has spanned 18 years of supplying Kauaians with yuletide greenery from the 60-acre farm.
Oregon trees are more suited to the Hawai’i climate, Toni explained. The farm where the trees are grown is located in the southern part of the growing belt, where the climate is closer to Hawaii’s than the northern growing sector. The “southern” trees hold up against the rigors of the tropical climate, which means needles hanging on the branches longer and the tree being green longer.
The Hagenbuchers have seen changes in the industry. One innovation they initiated seven years ago was having elementary school children in Oregon write letters to the purchasers of the trees. The letters were attached to the trees by the children, and when the trees were harvested and shipped, the letters went along with them.
“The response was tremendous,” Toni said. “The children loved getting (return) letters from the many different parts of the country the trees were shipped to.”
But, as other businesses and organizations have experienced, the post-Sept. 11 bioterrorism also took its toll on the students’ tree letters. The local school board voted to exclude the letters this year because of the anthrax incidents.
“The children were so sad,” Toni said. “But it’s better to be safe. We hope the situation gets better by next year and the program is reinstated.”
Tree prices are about the same as last year’s, and the shipment that was opened Friday is about the same size as a year ago. But Noble firs are in short supply this year, especially in the popular heights of five to seven feet.
Toni explained that Nobles require the coning cycle before they can be cut, and for some reason, the last coning cycle was missed due to weather conditions. (Nobles bear cones every seven years). This has resulted in an overall shortage of the popular tree that is known for its neat and stately appearance.
The Kapa’a locaation is one of two where the trees are being sold. The other is in Koloa behind the Lappert’s Ice Cream store at Discount Variety.
Staff photographer Dennis Fujimoto can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) and mailto:dfujimoto@pulitzer.net
