Farms: Christmas Tree Farms Open and Successful

By Aaron Nilsson/KTVL.com PHOENIX, Ore. --Business is booming for both local and state-wide Christmas tree farms.I told my sister we would have a shortage of trees and it may happen this year, Larry Ryerson, co-owner of U-Cut Farm in Phoenix, said.A few years ago, several tree farms up north had too many trees so they cut their fields down and burned them.Ryerson's UCut tree farm in Phoenix is still open and has been going for about 30 years.It's a family tradition. They enjoy it and make good friends out here, Ryerson said.A tradition many people have made coming to pick out and cut down their own Christmas tree an annual tradition.The tree shortage has upped the demand and Ryerson says the trees will sell fast this year.Some years we have to close early and this may be one of the years we say we're through selling. I hate to say it, but it could happen, Ryerson said.One family from San Diego spent Thanksgiving in Seattle and on their way back stopped off to pick out their own tree for Christmas.We went to the others and saw they were closed and we saw the signs for this place and came here. We love our tree and the service here, honestly, Chavonne Karahadian said. The employees won them over by helping load their dropped suitcases back into their car.They may be a regular of the U-Pick Farm, if they actually lived here. You can't beat that, Karahadian said.The farm is a wonderful yearly experience for those picking and for the farm.Seeing their kids come back as grownups, it's been a real pleasant experience for us, Ryerson said.U-Pick Farms in Phoenix says the first weekend in December is normally the busiest and it says it is possible they could sell out then.