IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Neuens Tree Lot on Stephenson Avenue, a thriving family tradition for over 30 years, has drawn visitors from across the Midwest, some from as far as Chicago, creating cherished memories and bringing families together.
Ashley Neuens-Bailey, the owner and designer, takes pride in her craftsmanship, having customized over 400 holiday bows this season alone. Families, like the Tadychs, who are local to Iron Mountain, are drawn to the diverse selection of trees and around twenty styles of custom wreaths. This year, a new design is called the ‘Yule Log’
Families choose from several different varieties of Christmas trees: Fraser, balsam, spruce, and white pine. Families like the Tadych’s favor the Fraser variety.
Dave and Diana Tadych, loyal patrons for over a decade, expressed their excitement about decorating with family, including their four children, their spouses, and five grandchildren, accompanied by a joyful chorus of six dogs. They happily utilized the free delivery service to transport their chosen tree home.
“A lot of them are coming this week. Our four children will be home, with their spouses. And all the grandchildren, there’s five of those. And we’ll have six dogs. We drove by one day without looking, and thought: ‘there’s beautiful trees’. And so we thought we’d stop. And we’ve been coming for jeepers 10, 12 years. Something like that. 10, 12, 15 years.”
When asked about their other favorite family traditions aside from picking the perfect tree, Mr Tadych replied, “Well we eat steak,” and Mrs. Tadych chimed in, “we do mimosas as we open our gifts.”
For the Tadychs, their carefully chosen tree promises delight for their young grandchildren, who’ll eagerly explore its branches for the perfect ornament spot. Amidst the festive atmosphere, the story takes an interesting turn for the unpicked trees.
The few remaining trees will find a different fate as they become playmates for dogs – specifically, Beagles – like Sassy and Diva, who’ll use the leftover trees to play the ultimate game of hide-and-seek. Dennis Tyson, a Beagle Club member and avid enthusiast, shares his unique purpose for the leftover trees.
“We run Beagles on rabbits. I train for field trials. Some are hunters. Most of the guys are field-trialers. What I do then is bring the trees back into the woods for cover for the rabbits. They gotta go find the rabbit and chase it,” Tyson informed.
“We have about 25 to 30 members. Some members have a dozen dogs. Others have 1 or 2. At any one time, just running for practice, there might be anywhere from 4 to 20.”
As a part of the Northern Michigan Hare Association, Tyson explains how some of these trees provide essential cover for rabbits during field trials, a tradition dating back to the post-World War II era.
“Most of the clubs got started like after World War II. The kids came home, and many clubs started between ‘45 and the mid-50’s,” shared Tyson.
Tyson, who not only participates in local competitions, but also travels to Maine as an honorary member of another club, reveals the widespread appeal of Beagle field trials. The upcoming January trial, in Ironwood, will feature competitors from various states. Tyson mentioned that some of the fall trials even draw international visitors from Canada, underscoring the broad reach and enduring popularity of this unique sporting tradition.
“For example, the next trial will be the first weekend in January. That’s in Ironwood,” he shared, adding, “Out east they have the same thing. On the East Coast, there’s a club in Maine that I’m a member of. They made me an honorary member so that I wasn’t violating their rules running my dogs there. I go there mainly in the fall.”
As Tyson looks forward to collecting the few remaining leftover trees on Christmas Eve, the connection between family traditions, festive decorations, and the purposeful use of unpicked trees for Beagle field trials weaves a heartwarming tale of community and shared experiences in Dickinson County.
For more information about Beagle Field Trials in the Upper Peninsula, visit:
https://www.northernmihare.com/
The Neuens Tree Lot will remain open through Christmas Eve. To find out more about wreath styles, or to check for your favorite variety of tree is available, contact Ashley Neuens-Bailey at:
ashley.neuens@gmail.com
