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Real Christmas trees may be in short supply in Georgia this year. Here’s why:

By Berndt Petersen, WSB-TV
By Berndt Petersen, WSB-TV

HALL COUNTY, Ga. — If you usually wait until later in the holiday season to pick out a real Christmas tree, you may want to move that up on your priority list this year.

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Georgia growers said live trees will be in short supply this year.

Channel 2′s Berndt Petersen was at a Christmas tree farm in Hall County, where they grow their own, but they also truck in a lot of trees from North Carolina.

Growers said there may not be enough to go around this year.

Kathy Cooper’s family has been in the Christmas tree business for four decades.

“When the first load comes in, I say, ‘Oh! It smells like Christmas again!’” Cooper said.

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But in recent years, the holidays have been very stressful. The demand for live trees is higher than ever, but sellers are short on supply.

Cooper trucked in 2,000 Frazier firs from North Carolina, but that won’t be enough. She said too many growers have gotten out of the business. The ones that remain can’t get enough help to replan, and inflation has driven up labor and delivery costs.

The Coopers grow Leyland Cyprus trees on 25 acres, and they could easily sell them all, but they’ll cut it off at 600.

“We would be bare,” Cooper said. “There wouldn’t be anything to sell next year. We can’t sell them all.”

Cooper said it’s best to get a tree while you still can, even though it’s still very early in the season.

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