Best trees in the state

CLYDE — A Christmas miracle came early for this local farm. After a decade of attempts, Hidden Pines Christmas Tree Farm brought home top prizes at this year's Ohio State Fair in Columbus: • The Grand Champion Christmas Tree • Reserve Champion Christmas Tree • Champion Wreath Along with the recognition and awards, the win also comes with the privilege to gift a tree to the governor's mansion and a wreath to the lieutenant governor. The award system There were 20 trees from across the state entered in this year's competition. The competition has three classes: pine, spruce and fir. Binger's concolor fir won grand champion in its class, and his blue spruce won its class' reserve champion award. The trees were judged by a panel from Ohio State University and a celebrity judge, Brian Baldridge, the director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Judges score trees using a system based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's standards. Half of the tree's points are based on foliage, meaning characteristics like density, cleanliness, the absence of bugs and diseases and how the grower shaped the tree. The other half of the points are based on tree taper, the top of the tree's length, its marketability and symmetry. Bio blast Clyde-based Hidden Pines Christmas Tree Farm is operated by Alan Binger, a now-retired school treasurer, Margaretta High School alumnus and Bowling Green State University graduate. The farm started in 2000 and opened to the pubic in 2007 for cut-your-own Christmas trees. There are about 9,000 trees on the farm. "It feels great," Binger said. Binger has been taking shots at these top spots since 2015, entering nearly every year. Previously, he won the Reserve Champion Christmas Tree in 2019, 2023 and 2024 but never the grand champion prize. "I have been close to winning before but never able to get the top award (grand champion) and, honestly, it felt like it probably would never happen because we have so many great growers in Ohio, and my farm is smaller than most of the other farms competing," Binger said.