Local man remembers days of holly farming

It is pruned to be sharp and crinkly.

This time of year, halls are decked with it around the world. But where does holly come from?

For a Colfax man, he knows just where it comes from and how it is grown.

Mike Reuter grew up on a holly farm on Vashon Island in Puget Sound.

On five acres of the island, Reuter’s parents grew holly and made wreaths every Christmas season. Reuter’s mother Helen turned 100 this October at the Courtyard in Colfax.

The Reuters grew what is called English blue stem holly, one of 150 varieties of the tree. This particular breed was developed in nearby Gig Harbor.

The t...