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There is a rumor going around that Christmas trees will be in short supply this year.  Is there any truth to the rumors?  Unfortunately, yes.  But the short supply is not for all varieties of Christmas trees – just the more popular ones like Fraser fir.

Why is there a shortage?  There are a number of factors contributing to the shortage this year.

First, we just came out of an oversupply.  During the oversupply, farmers had a tough time selling all of their trees.  When they could sell their trees, many had a tough time selling their trees for a good price.  This forced many farmers to stop planting Christmas trees and pushed them out of the business entirely.

Second, there are many farmers who are retiring, aging out, and there are not younger people to take over the farm.  Farming is difficult and expensive – land is expensive, labor is hard to find and maintain, labor rates are rising, insurance costs are skyrocketing – and the cost of agricultural products are not increasing at the same rate.  Christmas trees can be an especially difficult commodity, because it takes several years to bring a crop to harvest.  This means that you must invest money for several years in a row before you see a return on your investment.

Third, and by far the biggest contributing factor to the current shortage, during the oversupply, nurseries that grow Christmas tree seedlings could not sell their seedlings and were forced to plow them under.  So they did not plant more and for a few years, Christmas tree seedlings were difficult to come by.

The shortage is expected to last for a few years, but it won’t last forever.  In fact, we could end up in an oversupply again!  In the meantime, here are some tips for surviving the shortage:

(1) Don’t wait too long to buy your Christmas tree.  Vendors might not be able to restock like they have in the past, so once they sellout, there might not be any more trees coming.

(2) Expect to pay a little more for your tree.  We just went through an oversupply when Christmas tree prices were at an all-time low, so some vendors could offer trees for $29.99.  However, since trees are not as abundant, you won’t see as many Christmas tree stands or as many discounted trees.

(3) Consider a different variety.  Not all Christmas tree varieties were hard to come by.  Just the most popular.  Perhaps this is not the year to get a Fraser fir or a Douglas.  Try a Concolor fir or a Black Hills spruce.  However, keep in mind that some of the more popular varieties are more popular for a reason – beautiful color, better needle retention.  If you go with a different Christmas tree type, be sure to learn more about it.  A Concolor fir or Black Hills spruce might not hold its needles as well as a Fraser, so you might want to purchase it later in the season.

(4) Stick with a real tree.  It might be tempting to go for an artificial tree, but remember that real trees are grown by American farmers on family farms – and they are better for the environment.  They produce oxygen while they grow, they provide habitat for animals, and they are recyclable!  Artificial trees are manufactured in China and are not biodegradable.

Remember, it takes 10-12 years to grow a full-size Christmas tree.  Be patient with us.  We are growing as fast as we can!