Christmas tree shopping begins
Freshly cut North Carolina Christmas trees were being sold on Friday at the State Farmers Market.
Posted — Updated
Growers from as far away as Boone have brought in trees to tell at the market, at 201 Agriculture St. in Raleigh.
“We buy it the day after Thanksgiving because there’s so much to do during the holiday season,” said Dave Simons, who bought a tree at the farmer’s market.
State Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said the state has one of the best crops ever thanks to cool weather and adequate rainfall. Troxler said North Carolina's 2009 Christmas tree harvest should top 5 million trees from more than 1,500 growers.
More than 96 percent of N.C. Christmas trees are Fraser firs, which are grown in the mountains. Farmers in the Piedmont and coastal plain grow pines, cedars and other varieties well-suited to warmer conditions.
North Carolina was second in the nation in Christmas tree sales in 2008 at $100 million.
Copyright 2024 by WRAL.com and the Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
