Ponderosa Tree Farm–Altura, Minnesota

Ponderosa, is the name of a Tree Farm in Altura, Minnesota owned by Larry Greden and his family. Larry's great grandfather, Frank, originally settled on the property in Read's Landing in 1860. In 1866, Frank moved his family to the current 1,000-acre property. The Tree Farm is also a dairy farm with 600 head of cattle, and approximately 40 percent of the acreage is woodland. Now, four generations of Greden's live on the farm that produces timber, Christmas trees and a log cabin business. The Greden family takes full advantage of the recreation available right outside their back door – making the farm a place of work as well as place to have fun.

Larry makes forest management a priority on his property. In 1970, he planted thousands of trees and sincerely believes everything he does on the land must improve it for future generations. The family manages for red oak, white pine, white and blue spruce and black walnut. The Greden's plan to return 100 acres of land back to prairie grass and prairie flowers.

Family legend has it that, Frank (Larry's great grandfather) was fearless. He was the only person to move bodies when diphtheria hit the community and his daughter-in-law fed the outlaw, Jesse James. Peter (Larry's grandfather) was known as a horse trader who almost lost the farm a few times. During the depression, Leonard (Larry's father) cut branches to fed leaves to the cows and used the wood for fuel.