'Hoping for the best': Local Christmas tree farmers still cheerful after season marred by drought

Peter Blandino, The Patriot Ledger
·3 min read
Fresh Christmas trees at Tree Berry Farm on the Norwell-Scituate town line.
Fresh Christmas trees at Tree Berry Farm on the Norwell-Scituate town line.

Christmas tree farmers have faced an unusually long and stingy drought this year. The lack of rain has been a stressor on trees, especially young saplings, but local farmers say they're still up for the task of serving holiday shoppers.

According to the Massachusetts Drought Monitoring Task Force, November was the first month since at least April in which the southeast region of the state, which includes all of the South Shore, didn't experience some level of drought. Through much of July and August the area suffered through a level three "critical drought" – the second most severe category on the scale. Under critical drought conditions, streams and groundwater levels run low, potential for fires increases and water supplies decline.

"It's the worse I've seen since I started in 2012," said Matthew Krugger, who owns Mistletoe Acres with his wife, Meghan, in East Bridgewater. Krugger said the baby trees were most affected, which could lead to depleted inventories seven years from now.

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Last year's heavy rains were even more harmful to the trees, Krugger said.

"I would take a drought over too much rain any year," he said, noting how excessive moisture breeds insects and diseases.

Kimberly Campbell, who runs the family-owned Farm at Raven Brook, in Halifax, with her husband, Matt, and two sons, has faced similar setbacks.

"(The drought) impacted all the farmers, from corn to Christmas trees," she said. "We don't have irrigation. We depend on the rain."

At Tree Berry Farm on the Norwell-Scituate town line, owner Beverly Westerveld looks over trees that will be sold.
At Tree Berry Farm on the Norwell-Scituate town line, owner Beverly Westerveld looks over trees that will be sold.

Despite these challenges, Krugger and Campbell remain optimistic for the holidays.

"We still have trees to sell," Campbell said. She and her husband are also bringing in pre-cut trees to supplement the stock.

Campbell described visiting the Farm at Raven Brook as a "family experience." Shoppers can walk among the trees and absorb the atmosphere of a New England Christmas with sleighs out in the fields and many opportunities for photographs.

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The two farms sell Concolor trees, which have longer needles and are less likely to cause an allergic reaction; Serbian Spruce, which have prickly needles and are effective at warding off cats and other pets; Canaan Fir, similar to the Balsam Fir, popular due to its rich fragrance; and Scotch Pine, and longer-needled, sturdy tree suitable for heavier ornaments.

Where to buy a fresh Christmas tree on the South Shore

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Peter Blandino can be reached at pblandino@patriotledger.com.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Where to buy a fresh Christmas tree on the South Shore this season