Dear Crabby, With the Pandemic, Supply Chain Problems, and a Labor Shortage, I was Wondering, will there be a Christmas Tree Shortage as well?
Sincerely, Douglas Noble
Dear Douglas,
Well, my neighbors still have lots of good size evergreen trees that may work well for you. Not to mention, the local parks are pretty well stocked. While that option may lead to spending the holiday in the slammer, it’s still an option … just saying.
But if you’re the type of person to follow the law, then yes, you may have a problem, especially if you’re picky or cheap (I’ve been told I’m one of those). Anywho, ever since the great recession of 2008, many Christmas Tree farmers packed up their “Fir Sale” signs and traded them in for “For Sale” signs and left the business of murdering young trees behind. And now, with the labor shortage, the farms that have trees have fewer tree elves to chop, load, and haul. However, some farms have plenty of trees – although they warn that the kinds and sizes are limited – in part to the pandemic effect from last Christmas. Because so many of us were home, with our immediate family, every household had their own tree. The farms were open, people went, and they oversold their stock. In fact, tree sales doubled from previous years.
Now, on to the supply chain problems. For those of us who prefer Fake Christmas Trees, be prepared for bare shelves. There will just be fewer options for the plastic variety this year. The good news is, your fake tree in the attic should be just fine – that’s the whole point of the artificial spruce. But if you need a tree with some assembly required, then shop early, and just like the real ones, your options may be short.
For fresh cut holiday trees, try the Rochester Cider Mill just north of town. They always get a good supply the day after Thanksgiving … but they will go quickly.
Sincerely, Dear Crabby
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