When Robby Henderson was 8, he was mesmerized by the sound of his own echoes as he sang to himself in the middle of a vast holly orchard.

He was so captivated by the place that he remembers sitting on a large boulder and proclaiming to his parents that this holly farm would one day belong to him.

A half century later, the boulder hasn’t budged. And nor has Henderson.

Now 58, Robby Henderson lives in the house not far from the boulder, overlooking 10 acres of holly trees in a North Whidbey setting that he considers to be paradise.

“I get to live in a park,” said Henderson. “I get to play in a park. I open the gate six weeks a year and people come in and enjoy. Then, I hibernate.”

Henderson takes deep pride in the Henderson Holly Farm on Troxell Road.

He and his crew are wrapping up another holiday season on the holly farm he’s called his own since 1980.

Anywhere from 300-500 Christmas wreaths are hand-crafted each year from holly harvested at the Troxel Road farm, landing on front doors of some famous customers.

Henderson’s parents started the family’s original holly farm business at their farm on Degraff Road in Oak Harbor in 1952 and later purchased the old Morrell farm on Troxell Road so they had more holly to pick from.

Henderson grew up the youngest of six children on the original farm with each chipping in on the work from an early age.

“I can honestly say, I’ve been working since I was probably 8-years-old,” Henderson said. “From the moment I could climb a tree, it was like, ‘Here’s some clippers.’”

Life has taken many twists and turns for Henderson, who was born with a heart defect and struggled with health ailments most of his life.

A musically-inclined man who once lived life in the fast lane during the rock-and-roll era of the 1970s has slowed down dramatically, particularly since he was diagnosed with hepatitis C in the early 1990s.

He says a combination of medications makes him feel like he has the flu most of the time, but he doesn’t let it affect his outlook on life.

As he’s matured, he’s mellowed.

“It’s OK. I don’t like to complain,” Henderson said. “I spent a lot of years dying in my chair and refuse to do that anymore.”

Henderson is inspired by his work crew, some that have been with him more than 25 years, hand-crafting wreaths and other creations that are purchased locally and sent all over the world.

He gets constant satisfaction from the looks on customers’ faces.

“They have appreciation for the product,” he said of his team of workers. “They put their hearts into it. It takes a crew of 10 to make this happen.”

The appreciation is mutual among workers, who look after Henderson.

Steve Roullier has worked for him for 26 years.

“He’s a unique man,” Roullier said. “That’s why I’m here. I want him to live long enough to enjoy this place without hurting himself.”

“Robby is one of the best people I’ve ever met,” said longtime friend and co-worker Joel Harmon. “He’s got a kind heart and a generous soul.”

One of Henderson’s closest companions is an English Mastiff named Honey Bear, who is a customer favorite.

“She is 158 pounds of browned-eyed love,” Henderson said. “She captures the hearts of all the people who come to the farm. She’d be a real good therapy dog.”