FLOYD COUNTY, Va. – The drought earlier this year is having an impact on Christmas tree farms in Southwest Virginia.
John Houston, owner of Sweet Providence Farm in Floyd, said some trees in fields with shallow top soil were lost.
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He still expects to be very busy this season, though, with the day after Thanksgiving being the busiest day.
He also said farms may have fewer trees to sell because of the recession a decade ago when the number of trees planted was reduced.
“The early people usually get their trees a lot more likely. Trees take about ten years to grow, so you’ve got to count on the time it takes to grow," Houston said. "I’m seeing the demand for trees grow up.”
According to the National Christmas Tree Association, 25-30 million trees are sold in the U.S. each year and about 350 million trees are currently growing.