HARRISBURG A Christmas tree from Schuylkill County will represent Pennsylvania in the biannual National Christmas Tree Association contest.

Evergreen Acres Christmas Tree Farm, Auburn, was named grand champion Sunday at the 99th Pennsylvania Farm Show. The farm also won reserve grand champion."It just makes us believe that we are doing the right thing when it comes to production of Christmas trees," Paul Shealer, co-owner of the farm, said Monday. "The champion was chosen by the public, so we are producing what the public is looking for. It keeps us in touch with the public and public demands."Shealer owns Evergreen Acres with his wife, Sharon, and their children. It has been family owned and operated since 1936, according to the farm's website,

www.evergreenacreschristmastrees.com.Judges at the state farm show picked winners in 10 categories Saturday. The public then voted for one of the 10 first-place trees to be named grand champion of the show.All five trees the family entered into competition this year placed in their categories. Three won first place and were eligible to be grand champion. They were a Fraser fir, a concolor fir and a Nordmann fir.The Fraser fir was named grand champion and the Nordmann fir was the reserve. About 1,200 people voted for a tree at the farm show, Shealer said.As grower of the best in show, Evergreen Acres has qualified for the national competition. Farmers have to use a different tree in each competition."I have a couple set aside for next year's farm show," Shealer said. "I don't have anything picked out yet, but I am seriously considering taking a Douglas fir to the competition. I just think my odds will be better with a Douglas fir knowing what the competition will be."However, he is also considering taking a Fraser fir. The family won the national competition in 2000 with a Fraser fir."North Carolina will have a tremendous Fraser fir," Shealer said. "I would love to take on and beat the good old boys in North Carolina with their own tree."Shealer said the family has already been grooming two Fraser firs for next year's Pennsylvania Farm Show."They are absolutely amazing trees, but they have another year of growth to them," Shealer said.The rules of the national competition are similar to the contest at the state farms. Trees must be 6 to 8 feet tall. Judges pick winners in each category and the public will then choose the champion. The winner of the national competition puts a Christmas tree in the White House.Evergreen Acres also produced the runner-up tree in the 2008 contest and placed second in the 2004 contest.Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC