Lexington, S.C. Gears Up for Christmas Tree Season Amidst Hurricane Aftermath

Lexington, S.C. Gears Up for Christmas Tree Season Amidst Hurricane Aftermath

As the holiday season approaches, families in Lexington, South Carolina are getting excited about the annual tradition of picking out the perfect Christmas tree. However, the joy of selecting a real tree is shadowed this year by the impacts of Hurricane Helene, which hit the region hard. Local tree farms are working tirelessly to recover and provide families with beautiful trees to decorate their homes.

A Tough Blow for Tree Farms

One of the hardest-hit farms was Price’s Christmas Tree Farm, owned by Bryan Price. The farm faced a challenging situation when approximately 130 trees drowned after receiving nearly 20 inches of rain in just two weeks. Bryan shared the strenuous cleanup efforts needed to get back on track: “I must have hauled off piles of debris, tree limbs, and branches. It was a real mess.” He explained that he worked to push debris piles toward the edge of the woods on his property for easier cleanup.

Despite this setback, Bryan maintained a positive outlook. “While we lost quite a few, the farms in western North Carolina saw even worse damage,” he said. He explained that the hurricane’s winds had caused around 700 to 800 trees to lean precariously, with some even lying flat on the ground. But Bryan was determined: “I went beside them, stood them up, and stomped the ground back in around them.” He is expecting to get Fraser firs on Tuesday, indicating that he is committed to maintaining an adequate inventory for the holiday season.

The Wider Impact on the Midlands

The South Carolina Christmas Tree Association president, Allison Moses, who also owns the Penland Christmas Tree Farm in York, underscored the urgency of the situation. She noted that primarily, tree farms experienced significant wind damage that left many trees leaning but, fortunately, much of the damage was manageable. “Most trees could be staked back up with bamboo stakes,” she explained. Although some farms lost larger trees, the overall figure is encouraging. “Speaking with other farms, everyone seemed quite lucky overall,” Allison added.

Out of the 30,000 trees on her farm, Allison reported losing about 6,000 trees, while other farms reported damage ranging from 100 to 400 trees due to the storm. She was optimistic about the tree farm industry’s resilience. “Even though every farm saw damage, it seems like most of it was salvaged,” she said. “During shaping time, a lot of the trees were leaning. We were able to push them back over, stake them, and continue shaping them,” she added with a sigh of relief.

Keeping Prices Affordable

Despite the challenges presented by the storm, both Bryan and Allison are optimistic that prices for Christmas trees will remain reasonable this holiday season. “I know that a lot of people are experiencing economic challenges right now, and we want to be considerate of that,” Bryan stated. He is determined to keep prices steady, despite the additional labor costs required for cleanup and recovery.

Both farms, among many others in the region, are preparing to open for tree sales next weekend. Families can look forward to selecting their trees and embracing the holiday spirit as the farmers continue to work hard amidst the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Get ready for a warm and festive season, Lexington! The smell of fresh trees and the joy of holiday decorating await you, even in the face of adversity. The commitment and hard work of local tree farmers are sure to shine through as they provide families with the perfect Christmas trees to commemorate this special time of year.