Know the North Shore: O’Malley Family Farm’s 5 Generations
On a 100-acre farm along Wasaukee Road in Mequon, the O’Malley family is planting the seeds for its next generation—both literally and figuratively.
For decades, North Shore families knew the property as Trees for Less, a local destination for nursery stock and Christmas trees. In 2026, the business became O’Malley Family Farm & Nursery, a name that better reflects what the farm has become: a year-round place for locally grown trees, maple syrup, seasonal events and family experiences.
But while the name and offerings are changing, the land remains closely tied to the family’s history.
Rick O’Malley started Trees for Less in 1986 on land his grandparents purchased in the 1940s. His son Sam and daughter-in-law Lisa took over the business in 2021, and Lisa says the family is working to honor what Rick built while finding new ways to welcome the community.
“The transition has been exciting because it’s allowed us to honor everything that was built before us while bringing our own ideas to the farm,” Lisa said. “Rick spent decades growing Trees for Less into a business people trusted, and we never want to lose sight of that.”
🌻 GIVEAWAY: Win a private flower-picking experience! 🌻
North Shore Family Adventures and O’Malley Family Farm & Nursery are giving one family private access to the farm’s beautiful flower field after its public u-pick weekends.
The winner will receive:
🌸 Private flower-field access for up to four people
💐 A cup or bucket of flowers to pick and take home
📸 Time to capture special family photos at the farm
Raising the 5th generation on the farm
Sam and Lisa moved their family onto the property in late 2023. Their children are now the fifth generation to live on the farm.
“One of the most special parts of raising our children here is that they are the fifth generation to live on this farm,” Lisa said. “It truly feels like a little family compound where everyone is close by and involved in each other’s lives.”
Their childhood is unfolding across the same fields, woods and ponds that helped shape previous generations of the O’Malley family.
“They can ride their bikes over to Papa Ricko’s to go fishing in the pond, stop by Auntie Peg’s to help in her garden or go swimming, and spend their days exploring the farm,” Lisa said. “They help water flowers, ride along in the tractor or bobcat, collect eggs, and pitch in with the little jobs that make the farm run.”
For Lisa, raising children alongside extended family is one of the most rewarding parts of farm life—even when the workdays are long and unpredictable.
“They are learning the value of hard work, seeing what it takes to build something together, and creating memories on the same land where generations before them have done the same,” she said.
Why Trees for Less changed its name
Trees remain an important part of the family business. The farm grows shade trees, flowering and ornamental trees, evergreens and privacy-screening trees. It also offers planting services and local mulch delivery.
But the name Trees for Less no longer captured everything happening on the property.
“As our business grew, we realized we had become so much more than just a tree nursery,” Lisa said. “We were adding maple syrup, flowers, seasonal events, and new experiences for families. We wanted our name to reflect everything we offer while also highlighting what has always been at the center of it all—our family.”
The change to O’Malley Family Farm & Nursery marks a new chapter, but Lisa emphasizes that the foundation remains the same.
“Trees will always be a huge part of who we are,” she said. “But we’ve expanded to include maple syrup production, seasonal events, flowers, and more opportunities for families to experience the farm.”
Turning maple sap into a new family tradition
Each spring, the family taps hundreds of sugar maple trees around the farm.
The process depends on Wisconsin’s fluctuating spring weather. Sap begins flowing when temperatures fall below freezing overnight and rise above freezing during the day. The family collects the sap and brings it to its sugarhouse, where it is boiled in an evaporator until it reaches the correct sugar concentration.
“It takes about 40 gallons of sap to produce just one gallon of pure maple syrup, so every bottle represents a lot of hard work—but we think it’s worth every drop,” Lisa said.
In 2026, the family invited the public to learn about that process during its first Maple Fest. The turnout exceeded expectations.
“We learned that people are really looking for authentic farm experiences and opportunities to slow down and spend time together,” Lisa said. “The response from our community was incredible.”
The family is already considering improvements to parking and traffic flow, along with additional activities, as it works to make Maple Fest an annual tradition.
U-pick flowers arrive in August
The next addition to the farm is rooted in another family memory.
The new u-pick flower field was inspired by “Grandpa Dicko’s” wildflower gardens, which brought color to the farm and helped nurture the family’s love of growing.
O’Malley Family Farm will open the field to the public for its first u-pick flower weekends on August 22–23 and August 29–30, 2026.
Visitors will be able to walk through the field, select their favorite stems and create a bouquet to take home. The experience will also feature live music, food, local vendors, hayrides, children’s activities and opportunities to visit the farm animals.
“We wanted this experience to be about more than just flowers,” Lisa said. “There will be activities for kids and plenty of opportunities to slow down, explore, and make memories together.”
Admission is $6 per person, with children ages 3 and younger admitted free. Tickets are limited, so advance reservations are recommended.
“Our hope is that families leave with a beautiful bouquet, but also with the feeling that they spent a special day at the farm and created memories they’ll want to come back for,” Lisa said.
A Christmas tradition for generations of families
For many longtime customers, the farm will always be connected to Christmas.
Each holiday season, families return to walk through the tree fields, take a hayride, warm up near the bonfire and find the tree that will become the centerpiece of their celebrations.
Some customers who first visited as children now bring children and grandchildren of their own.
“It’s about being a small part of the traditions that bring families together during the holiday season,” Lisa said.
That emotional connection is also guiding the farm’s growth. Whether families visit to pick flowers, learn about maple syrup or choose a Christmas tree, the O’Malleys want the experience to feel personal and unhurried.
“More than anything, we hope they remember the feeling of being here,” Lisa said. “We hope they remember running through the fields, getting a little dirty, spending time outside, and enjoying a slower pace of life.”
Growing without losing its roots
Running a multigenerational farm means that no two days look quite the same.
Maggie helps envision new experiences, Sam manages customers, equipment and much of the daily operation, and Lisa oversees the website, marketing, social media and events. Everyone steps in wherever help is needed.
“One morning we might be planting flowers, the next we’re helping someone choose the perfect tree, fixing equipment, planning an event, or packing maple syrup orders,” Lisa said. “We all wear a lot of hats, and that’s part of what makes working together so rewarding.”
As the family looks beyond its first u-pick season, it plans to continue adding events and giving visitors more reasons to experience the farm throughout the year. Those additions, however, will remain connected to the values that have sustained the property for five generations.
“I’m most proud that this farm has remained a place where family, hard work, and community come together,” Lisa said. “We’re proud of what we’ve built, but even more proud of the relationships and memories that have been created along the way.”
Plan your visit
O’Malley Family Farm & Nursery
11550 Wasaukee Road, Mequon
omalleyfamilyfarm.com
262-242-7522
2026 u-pick flower weekends: August 22–23 and August 29–30
Hours: 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Admission: $6 per person; free for children ages 3 and younger
Tickets:View flower information and reserve a spot
Event details may change because of weather, field conditions or availability. Check with the farm before visiting.
Meet the fifth-generation Mequon family behind O’Malley Family Farm and discover its u-pick flowers, maple syrup, Christmas trees and seasonal events.