CUMMING, Iowa — If you still need a Christmas tree, act fast. The owner of Howell Tree Farm in Cumming said trees are flying off the lot this year.
"We've definitely sold out of all the big trees," Jenny Howell said. "Normally we would have a few ten footers left at Thanksgiving weekend, but this year they're all gone."
Howell said the trees usually grow about a foot every year, but because of the drought they only grew 8-10 inches this year.
She's worried people could be disappointed in the coming weeks if they can't find the tree they want. Most of the trees she has left are around 7.5 feet or shorter.
"Lower your expectations if you're going to wait until the last minute," Howell laughed. "But you might still find a tree, and even if they're not the perfect tree, or the most beautiful, you can still make it beautiful."
The farm usually orders a few trees from out of state as backup, but Howell said she couldn't get very many this year.
"I think there's a shortage in the large wholesale farms," she said. "We could only get about half of what we normally order."
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