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The trek through the maze of green, the smell of the fresh pine scent– chopping down a Christmas tree with your loved ones is a core holiday memory for many of us.”I have seen kids grow up from nothing, spilling hot chocolate all over the place to them coming in with their own kids,” said Mike Werts, owner of Wertz Christmas Tree Farm.His business has been around since 2002. This week, they announced they wouldn’t be open this year. He says there’s just not enough trees to meet demand.”It just kills me that I’m not going to be able to be there for them and frankly that they may not be able to get a Christmas tree this year,” said Wertz.It takes about 5 to 15 years for a Christmas tree to grow to the ideal size for a family’s home. On Wertz Christmas Tree Farm, these trees are barely reaching 5 feet tall, which means that your family tradition might not be a go for this year.Many farms across the country are facing similar issues.Wertz says the wildfires, droughts and excessive heat on the West Coast have drastically affected the farmers who supply these trees.”When they lose a large portion of their crop, there’s a shortage of us being able to get seedlings to grow,” said Wertz.Another factor is COVID-19. Last year, people looking for a fun outdoor activity during the winter spike bought out all the trees in just eight days. New customers means higher demand.”Now we have nothing for anyone, including ourselves, and that’s just a huge bummer for everyone involved,” said Wertz.Wertz says he is hopeful for next year’s batch of trees, but with the wildfires out west and COVID-19 both being so unpredictable, he is hoping luck is on his side.
The trek through the maze of green, the smell of the fresh pine scent– chopping down a Christmas tree with your loved ones is a core holiday memory for many of us.
“I have seen kids grow up from nothing, spilling hot chocolate all over the place to them coming in with their own kids,” said Mike Werts, owner of Wertz Christmas Tree Farm.
His business has been around since 2002. This week, they announced they wouldn’t be open this year. He says there’s just not enough trees to meet demand.
“It just kills me that I’m not going to be able to be there for them and frankly that they may not be able to get a Christmas tree this year,” said Wertz.
It takes about 5 to 15 years for a Christmas tree to grow to the ideal size for a family’s home. On Wertz Christmas Tree Farm, these trees are barely reaching 5 feet tall, which means that your family tradition might not be a go for this year.
Many farms across the country are facing similar issues.
Wertz says the wildfires, droughts and excessive heat on the West Coast have drastically affected the farmers who supply these trees.
“When they lose a large portion of their crop, there’s a shortage of us being able to get seedlings to grow,” said Wertz.
Another factor is COVID-19. Last year, people looking for a fun outdoor activity during the winter spike bought out all the trees in just eight days. New customers means higher demand.
“Now we have nothing for anyone, including ourselves, and that’s just a huge bummer for everyone involved,” said Wertz.
Wertz says he is hopeful for next year’s batch of trees, but with the wildfires out west and COVID-19 both being so unpredictable, he is hoping luck is on his side.