What Christmas Tree Shortage

Unless you're one of those brave souls who, driven by tradition or the hope of a really good bargain, search for their perfect Christmas tree in the last few days before December 25, you probably have yours up and decorated by now. I don't know if you've realized it but according to The Atlantic there is a shortage of Christmas trees.

The situation apparently has roots going back about 10 years to the recession.Growers cut too many trees for those willing to buy, and that loss of income helped fuel an inability to plant new seedlings, which led to fewer mature trees to harvest in 2017. At least, that's the case for many tree farms in the nation's Northwest.

Here in the Berkshires, I had no problem shopping for and finding just the right 6-foot tree for our living room. The selection was ample and the prices seemed to pretty much fall in line with what we paid last year--when we waited way too long to buy. And in driving past a few locations, with Christmas Day less than 2 weeks away, I still see some nice trees waiting for a home for the holidays. Happy hunting!