BOONE, N.C. — North Carolina Christmas tree farmers are assessing their fields as the upcoming harvesting season quickly approaches. Hundreds of main roads and access roads are closed or damaged due to Helene.
The North Carolina Christmas Tree Association posted: It will take some time to fully assess the extent and implications of damage to Christmas tree farms affected by the hurricane, but our farmers have weathered the storm and are ready to persevere. Our Christmas tree farmers are committed to harvesting their trees and delivering North Carolina Fraser fir Christmas trees to retailers across the country.
As for the supply, Christmas trees were resilient to Helene's torrential wind and rain. The association said, "We do not expect the aftermath of Hurricane Helene to have a significant effect on the supply of real North Carolina Fraser fir Christmas trees this holiday season. "
Harvesting is expected to begin in the last week of October or early November. North Carolina is the second largest Christmas tree-producing state in the U.S. behind Oregon. North Carolina has 940 growers who harvest an estimated 3.2 million trees annually.
Jennifer Greene, the executive director of the association, said an update about shipping and harvesting could come next week.
The 2024 White House Christmas tree will be coming from North Carolina for the second time in two years. Cartner's Christmas Tree Farm in Avery County won a national competition to supply a Fraser fir for the White House Blue Room. Greene said White House officials will select the tree on Oct. 28.
Cline Church Nursery in Ashe County provided the 2023 White House Christmas tree. Greene said North Carolina has supplied more Christmas trees to the White House than any other state with a total of 16 over the years.
