The Christmas tree standing proud in the White House is a symbol of resilience: It comes from Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm in Newland, North Carolina. Earlier this year, the region took a devastating hit from Helene—the Cartner farm itself lost thousands of trees to mudslides—but still, the twenty-foot-tall Fraser fir arrived in D.C. last week and is slated for lighting on December 5.
Annually, North Carolina produces nearly a quarter of the real Christmas trees grown in the United States, ranking as the the top-producing state after Oregon. And even amid the hardships caused by Helene, which impacted the area responsible for 95 percent of the state’s production, farmers are hoping buyers will come calling.
Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm
Despite the storm, the Cartners are looking forward to a relatively normal year, as most of their lost trees weren’t yet old enough for harvest. For the past five decades the family has grown Fraser firs, and sells them both wholesale and to in-person visitors. This year, prospective buyers can come to the farm and select their own tree on November 23, 24, and 28 as well as on December 1, 7, and 8.
Wishon Evergreens
Wishon Evergreens, located in Sparta, has been farming Fraser firs since 1985, focusing on sustainable growing practices. They make Christmas tree shopping easy—their online shop allows you to select the size of the Fraser, and they’ll cut it fresh and mail it. The last day to order is December 15.
Appalachian Evergreens
Not only does the team at Appalachian Evergreens in Boone offer shoppers a complimentary cup of hot cider or cocoa as they select their trees, they’re also donating five dollars of every purchase to Samaritan’s Purse for local relief efforts. Plus, a walk around the farm affords excellent views of neighboring Elk Knob State Park. Find their choose-and-cut dates here.
Clawson’s Tree Farms
This year, both of the Clawson family farms—Clawson’s Choose and Cut and Panoramic View Christmas Tree Farm, located just a few miles apart in Boone—are open on Saturday and Sunday from the third weekend in November to the second weekend in December. The best part? Selecting a tree at either location comes with a hay ride.
Shady Rest Tree Farm
On Saturday November 23, the Glendale Springs farm will open for its thirtieth season, offering 30,000 trees at two locations, including a variety of firs—Frasers, Nordmanns, Koreans, and Concolors, plus blue spruce and white pine. Visitors can stop by anytime during the year and have their selected tree cut and shipped to them for the holidays, or order from the farm’s online inventory.
Find a list of farms to visit in person and farms that ship trees here.
