BRADENTON, Fla. — Christmas tree vendors were worried a couple of months ago when they saw the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in the western Carolina mountains, fearing what it would mean for this year’s tree supply.
Most local tree lots in Bradenton or elsewhere in the Tampa Bay area get their Frasier Firs from that region.
“Our grower got lucky. It didn’t hit him, and we actually kept our prices the same from last year here,” Kerry Folley said. “We got very, very lucky. Did not have a shortage and we’ve had beautiful trees.”
Folley has been coming down from his home in Michigan to sell Christmas trees in Bradenton for the last 13 years. He was excited when he received the call on Nov. 18 that his first load of trees was on its way.
Sales this year have been awesome, he said.
“Everybody’s tired of the hurricanes. They want to put a big tree up, look at it, smell it, and have something positive to look at it,” Folley added.
Folley’s lot is on the southwest corner of Manatee Avenue and 33rd Street Court West. Prices here have remained the same compared to last year, and they even have a few 20-foot-tall trees, which are becoming increasingly harder to get, according to Folley.
Growers cut trees before they get that big because they profit more from the smaller, more popular sizes between five and nine feet. But there is demand for these trees, which Folley sells for $500, by many homeowners with vaulted ceilings.
On Friday, Foley also still had one Noble Fir from Oregon. He was able to get a small supply of these trees which sold quickly.
Across town, the Oneco Hope Methodist Church tree lot at 2112 53rd Ave E., Bradenton, has also been unaffected by this year’s storms.
“None whatsoever because they’re in Michigan, and there’s been no hurricanes in Michigan…lately,” John Bradbury said.
But they have seen supply issues over the last couple of years.
“Tree farmers can’t grow them fast enough for the demand, so that limits us a little bit,” Bradbury said.
Their tree farmer in Michigan is able to supply them with a more usual variety compared to other lots in Bradenton. Their assortment includes six different species, including Black Hill spruce, Concolor fir, Scottish pine, balsam fir, Douglas fir, Grand Fir, and the locally popular Frasier fir.
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