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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2020)
A3 THE ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2020 Christmas tree growers poised for busy season By JAMIE HALE The Oregonian Christmas tree growers in Oregon are preparing for a busy holiday season, as peo- ple look for a brighter ending to a particu- larly diffi cult year. Last year’s recession-hindered fi elds yielded fewer trees leading to a dwindling supply come the holidays, but this year is already looking promising for local Christ- mas tree farms, which anticipate a busy sea- son ahead. Tom Norby, president of the Oregon Christmas Tree Growers Association and owner of the Trout Creek Tree Farm in Corbett, said that while the Christmas tree inventory might still be a little tight for 2020 (especially for trees more than 7 feet tall), he didn’t expect there would be any seri- ous shortages — even after considering that more people than usual may be looking to buy trees. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic will undoubtedly force more Oregonians to avoid traveling for the holidays, which could lead to more people setting up their own trees at home. Cheery Christmas decorations are also a way to brighten up what has otherwise been a grim 2020. “People, with this weird year that we’ve had, they’re just looking for something a lit- tle normal,” Norby said. Many local farms have reported a rush of early business this year, he said, indicating that Oregonians are eager to get their holi- day decorations up early. Alison Bruns, owner of the Misty Ridge Tree Farm in Oregon City, said she opened her fi eld early for U-cut this year after peo- ple started asking for trees a week before Thanksgiving. Her wholesale customers picked up their orders early as well. But with the coronavirus pandemic still dangling overhead, a certain amount of uncertainty remains, she said. An outbreak traced back to a U-cut farm, for example, could be devastating to local farms, which has led to farms to take precautions like lim- iting crowd sizes and making one-way paths through their lots. “It’s a little scary not knowing what’s going to happen,” Bruns said. “We only have this one chance per year to make this money.” While some farms have opted against opening for U-cut this year, the majority are seeing it as a safe holiday tradition, Norby said — and an opportunity to turn a profi t. Chal Lundgren, a Christmas tree special- ist at Oregon State University, said prices for trees typically increased every year, with average prices more than doubling from $36.50 in 2008 to $78 in 2018. Due Jamie Hale/The Oregonian A worker unties a bundle of Christmas trees at a farm in Estacada in 2018. ‘ALL YOU CAN DO IS JUST HOPE FOR THE BEST. IT’S A GAMBLE, BUT WE’RE GAMBLING ALL THE TIME. WE’RE FARMERS, THAT’S WHAT WE DO.’ Tom Norby | president of the Oregon Christmas Tree Growers Association and owner of the Trout Creek Tree Farm in Corbett to a supply shortage in 2019, he said, prices increased more than usual, and this year, another modest price bump is expected. “It’s very supply and demand oriented,” Lundgren said. “If demand stays the same, you would expect prices to go up, certainly not go down.” Last year’s price increase was a boon for big-time producers like McKenzie Farms, one of Oregon’s largest Christmas tree empires, which said it made a record profi t in 2019. Unlike local farms that sell to indi- viduals and small businesses, McKenzie Farms ships trees to big box stores around the country, harvesting 800,000 to 1 million trees each year from its 198 fi elds planted between Estacada and Monroe. McKenzie “Ken” Cook, chairman and former owner of McKenzie Farms, said profi ts this year will be partially offset by the additional costs of labor and shipping, which he says have increased due to the pandemic. “It won’t be as good as last year, but it will be a profi table year for the growers,” Cook said. “The demand is certainly ahead of last year.” The most in-demand trees tend to be noble fi rs and Nordmann fi rs, which are hardier than other species like the Douglas fi r, and can last inside a home for several months. Oregon farms harvest those trees by the millions, but as they look to plant the next generation for harvest a decade from now, they may be competing for seedlings with Oregon foresters looking to replant for- ests destroyed by wildfi res, Lundgren said. That’s one of a myriad concerns that Christmas tree growers face as the climate continues to warm. Hot summers put stress on the trees, which shed needles in response. Unstable weather patterns can also be problematic, as dense fog and heavy rains can hinder har- vests come fall. And then there’s the wildfi res themselves, which this year came perilously close to many tree farms. Norby said he only heard of one farm that burned, and another fi eld that was partially scorched. Any year that turns out profi table is a good one, he said, as any long-term con- cerns are balanced out by a steady demand for Christmas trees each fall. “All you can do is just hope for the best,” Norby said. “It’s a gamble, but we’re gam- bling all the time. We’re farmers, that’s what we do.” Santa Buc s Help families in our community h l d have a great o i ay! $ $ $ 5 1 10 GIFT GIFT GIFT Purchase Santa Bucks to provide a holiday dinner to a local family in need. clip or CLICK! Valid 12/1/20 thru 12/8/20 ® 10 $ Premium Slicing Meat & Cheese OFF 50 $ or more * Save on your next grocery purchase of $50 or more * with your Club Card & this Savings Award. *Use this Savings Award on any shopping trip you choose at any Oregon Safeway or Albertsons store and S.W. Washington stores serving Clark, Wahkiakum, Cowlitz, Skamania, Walla Walla and Klickitat counties by 12/8/20. This $10.00 Savings Award excludes purchases of Alcoholic Beverages, Fluid Dairy Products, Tobacco, US Postage Stamps, Trimet Bus/Commuter Passes, Money Orders, Container Deposits, Lottery, Gift Cards, Gift Certificates Sales, All Pharmacy Prescription Purchases, Safeway Club Savings, Safeway or Albertsons Store Coupons and Sales Tax. One Savings Award redeemable per household. COUPON CANNOT BE DOUBLED. Online and in-store prices, discounts, and offers may differ. 25 % off *With Club Card. See store for details. Prices in this ad are effective 6 AM Tuesday, December 1 thru Tuesday, December 8, 2020 (unless otherwise noted) in all Safeway or Albertsons stores in Oregon and S.W. Washington stores serving Wahkiakum, Cowlitz, Clark, Skamania, Walla Walla and Klickitat Counties. Items offered for sale are not available to other dealers or wholesalers. Sales of products containing ephedrine, pseudoephedrine or phenylpropanolamine limited by law. Quantity rights reserved. SOME ADVERTISING ITEMS MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE IN ALL STORES. Some advertised prices may be even lower in some stores. On Buy One, Get One Free (“BOGO”) offers, customer must purchase the first item to receive the second item free. BOGO offers are not 1/2 price sales. If only a single item purchased, the regular price applies. Manufacturers’ coupons may be used on purchased items only — not on free items. Limit one coupon per purchased item. Customer will be responsible for tax and deposits as required by law on the purchased and free items. No liquor sales in excess of 52 gallons. No liquor sales for resale. Liquor sales at licensed Safeway or Albertsons stores only. ©2020 Safeway Inc. or ©2020 Albertsons LLC. Availability of items may vary by store. Online and In-store prices, discounts and offers may differ. PG 1,Common GL141154_120220_POR_ROP_SA_10.5x10.5_DailyAstorian_Common
