Publication Date December 10, 2015 | Sacramento Bee

Drought impacts some Christmas tree farms in Golden State

United States
Christmas Trees. Photo: The Sacramento Bee
Christmas Trees. Photo: The Sacramento Bee

California’s ongoing drought has impacted Christmas tree growers, but experts contend that tree buyers will likely be unaware of the effects this holiday season...[Sam Minturn, executive director of the Hilmar-based California Christmas Tree Association] said the primary reason that Sacramento-area and California consumers won’t notice a difference is that “90 percent of the trees sold in the state do come from Oregon and Washington, and they seem to be doing fine also.” Still, some have noticed the drought’s reach. “The trees really haven’t looked good to me over the past four or five years, just looking at them closely. I think it’s because of the drought. That’s the only thing I can equate it to,” said Richard Siebrecht, co-owner of Primrose Resources Management Co. in Nevada City.