By Allie Brawley
In 1985, Mike Metrish Sr. had a vision for a piece of farmland perched on a hill in Sault Ste. Marie’s Algonquin neighborhood. Instead of the typical crops, he decided to plant something special—Christmas trees. His son, Mike Metrish Jr., remembers those early days, planting saplings alongside his dad as a kid, not fully realizing how it would shape their family’s future.
Fast forward ten years, the trees had grown tall enough, and Metrish Tree Farm was officially open for business. That first year, they sold just 20 trees, but Mike Sr. was determined, aiming for a milestone of 100 trees in seasonal sales.
Around 2006, Mike Jr. took the reins, bringing a fresh perspective to the business. Metrish Tree Farm grew and sold around 400 trees at its peak. Due to the pandemic, they chose to close temporarily to allow the trees to replenish. When they re-opened, they increased social media presence and added events like “cocoa and cookies with Santa.” As an official Santa letterbox location, kids can mail letters to Santa. Now, they are content with a slower pace, selling a couple hundred trees each season.
“The best part about doing less business is spending more time with our customers,” Mike Jr. shares with a smile.
Customer service has always been the focus of Metrish Tree Farm. They have trees ready-cut and also allow customers to roam the farm to select their own tree, which is cut fresh, bailed and secured to your vehicle. Beyond the Christmas tree, they have branched into holiday décor that includes wreaths, garland, and charming reindeer crafted from tree trunks. It has become an ideal location for a holiday themed family photo shoot.
Mike’s family is as much a part of the farm as the trees themselves. Together with his fiancée Andrea, they juggle four children, ages 11 to 15, all of whom are active in sports but still make time to help on the farm during the holiday season.
The work at Metrish Tree Farm is an eight-month-a-year commitment. It all starts in May when they plant new seedlings, which take 10 to 12 years of nurturing before they’re ready for sale. Through the summer, they trim branches of about 2,500 trees, which encourages fuller trees to reach their ideal Christmas tree shape. Maintaining the grounds to keep weeds at bay is essential to growth.
As the weather turns cold, Mike and Andrea shift their focus to cutting local cedar and gathering balsam boughs from the property for wreaths and garlands. It’s a community affair, with friends often stopping by to help assemble the festive greenery or bail trees, creating a lively, fun atmosphere at the farm. Neighbor Carter Oshelski helped create the farm’s logo and his parents are key to assembling garland each season.
By the time Thanksgiving rolls around, the Metrish family is ready to welcome customers to the farm. A cozy fire pit with benches is set up for visitors to relax and warm up after choosing their tree, making it as much about the experience as the product.
“It’s truly a hobby farm and family business, just as it always has been,” says Mike proudly. The proceeds from the farm go toward paying taxes on the land, plus maintenance like adding gravel to the driveway. “The remainder goes toward our family vacation,” he says with a grin.
After eight months of pruning, trimming, preparing and selling, a family vacation is well deserved. Mike Jr. works full-time at Cloverland Electric Cooperative’s hydro plant in Sault Ste. Marie, balancing his job as a repairman with the seasonal demands of the farm.
Metrish Tree Farm opens the Friday after Thanksgiving and stays open every Friday to Sunday until Christmas. Check their Facebook page for hours—and to catch a glimpse of this beloved family tradition in action.