Families making plans to buy a Christmas tree in the Cashiers area this year will be sad to hear that one tree farm has made the tough choice to close for the season due to a tree shortage.
Tom Sawyer’s Christmas Tree Farm and Elf Village, located at 240 Chimney Pond Road, announced on social media on Sept. 9 that they will not be open this year.
“It is with heavy hearts that we must share with you that Tom Sawyer Christmas Tree Farm & Elf Village will be closed this year,” the announcement on Facebook said. “As much as we want to be open for families to come enjoy the farm and choose and cut their trees, it just isn’t feasible.
“With the shortages we have faced over the last few years and the increased sales we saw last year, there is a huge shortage of our most sought-after tree sizes. We would not be able to ensure the majority of people would leave here with the perfect tree.”
As of the afternoon of Sept. 9, the Facebook post had 215 reactions, ranging from sad, to care and like, 73 comments and 79 shares. Many area residents expressed their sadness through their comments on that post, saying a visit to Tom Sawyer’s Christmas Tree Farm is a tradition every year.
The Fraser fir tree is the staple here for local Christmas tree farmers. Fraser firs thrive in a climate higher than 3,500 feet above sea level. The supply of Fraser fir trees in Western North Carolina, especially in Jackson County, was lower last year be
cause fewer trees were planted by farmers here during the Recession years of 2008 to 2010.
The Sawyer Family Homestead farm overlooks Lake Glenville and has had Fraser Fir trees growing for more than three decades. Traditionally, the season lasts from the week of Thanksgiving until nearly Christmas Eve, but last year, due to an overwhelming response from customers, they closed much sooner than anticipated on Dec. 2.
Tom Sawyer, the owner of the tree farm, told the Crossroads Chronicle on Sept. 9 the impetus for closing was because of a shortage of trees taller than six feet. He added he did not want people driving hours to the farm only to not get the tree they wanted to take home for the Christmas season.
“Last year, with COVID, we had no idea what to expect,” Sawyer said. “We were very popular because people wanted to get out of the house and go on a field trip. We decided to sell a lot of the larger trees and we didn’t have much larger than a six-foot tree anymore.”
Sawyer said trees will typically grow a foot per year, but it can take up to eight years for them to grow to just four feet. He has sold trees that are upwards of 20 feet tall as well.
“Without a large selection of trees, it wouldn’t be fair for our customers to come a long way to not get something big when we don’t have it,” Sawyer said. “We thought we might as well disappoint and say we’re not open, and maybe they can find another spot to get a bigger tree.”
- By Michael O'Hearn