Victorian Pines in State Center grows holiday cheer for Iowa families looking for a real Christmas tree.

Christmas trees are the answer to Ryan Pfantz’s dream.

“I’ve always been interested in niche agriculture, beyond the traditional corn and soybeans. I grew up on the farm, and I’m a child of the 1980s farm crisis where I saw a lot of farmers look for added revenue streams,” says Pfantz.

So after college, a city job and finding the love of his life, he headed home to State Center and the family farm — and the dream became reality.

He and his wife, Tara, with help from his ...