I shadowed the judges of the Maine Christmas Tree Association's annual Christmas tree contest at the Fryeburg Fair, watching as they subjected each tree to a full physical exam. Fair-goers weighed too, with their vote reverberating all the way to the governor's mansion.
Read my story for Down East: https://downeast.com/home-and-garden/in-maine-the-governors-yuletide-fir-is-put-to-a-referendum/