Christmas-tree farms in need of fiscal fertilizer
Finding a natural Christmas tree might be a bit tougher this year than it has been in years past. According to the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, that’s because the latest Census of Agriculture shows the number of Christmas-tree farms in Arkansas has declined sharply from 59 in 2007 to just 29 in 2012.
The Census of Agriculture further shows the number of acres devoted to Christmas trees in Arkansas also declined — from 562 in 2007 to 227 in 2012.
According to the 2012 Census of Agriculture, Oregon was the top Christmas-tree state, with 1,517 farms on 53,605 acres. North Carolina was second with 1,370 farms on 40,352 acres and Pennsylvania was third with 1,360 farms on 31, 577 acres.
Citing Tamara Walkingstick, associate director of the Arkansas Fores t Resources Center, the Cooperative Extension Service said the demand for trees has sagged while the cost of growing the trees has increased. That demand has steadied the cost that growers can charge for the trees while the expenses elevate.
Another reason Walkingstick cited for fewer trees being grown in Arkansas is the lack of a climate conducive to growing popular species of Christmas trees, including Noble, Frazier and Douglas firs.
Many growers have turned their tree farms into agri-tourism opportunities that include holiday photo ops, hot chocolate, petting zoos and other family-friendly activities.
“Christmas-tree farming isn’t a big-dollar business,” Walkingstick said. “Growers have to diversify and sell the whole Christmas-tree experience to offset rises in the cost of growing the trees.”
Those Arkansas farms that do grow trees typically opt for Virginia and white pines, as well Leyland cypress.
Terry Christy, the owner of Hilltop Christmas Tree Farm near Dardanelle, said his business has done well since he started it in 2001, but added that growing natural Christmas trees is not as lucrative as it once was.
“The cost of chemicals and fuel is rising at ridiculous rates,” Christy said.
He also said that is because the availability of artificial trees at local big-box retail stores has hurt the industry, as well the increase in overhead.
Christy said his business has also faced some challenges from Mother Nature.
“We are subject to temperatures, both hot and cold,” Christy said.
Christy has experienced both extremes in the past two years.
“Last year was a horrible year because of the weather for selling Christmas trees in the field,” Christy said, referring to the state’s frequent bouts with ice and snow in the weeks preceding the holiday. “The extremely cold temperatures we had last winter actually destroyed some of the Leyland cypress crops that were planted.”
Christy said dry weather was “hard on trees” during the growing season two years ago.
Christy estimated that the Arkansas Christmas Tree Growers Association had around 200 members when he started his business 13 years ago. Now he estimates about 30 active members.
According to its website, the purpose of the association is to provide an opportunity for continuing education and communication for the membership and to promote the products of its members.
According to a National Christmas Tree Association poll, consumers bought more than 33.02 million real trees in 2013, up from 24.5 million in 2012. The purchase of artificial trees also rose between 2012 and 2013 from 10.9 million to 14.7 million.
Of the real trees purchased, the NCTA said 85 percent were pre-cut, and 14 percent came from cut-yourown-tree farms. The remaining 1 percent didn’t offer an answer in the poll.
Staff writer Bruce Guthrie can be reached at (501) 3783527 or bguthrie@arkansasonline.com. Information for this article was provide by Mary Hightower, director of communication services for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. Hightower can be reached at (501) 671-2126 or mhightower@uaex.edu.