A Christmas tree farmer says choosing to purchase a “real” tree this holiday season can go a long way in supporting farmers who were impacted by Hurricane Helene and other storms. The center of many holiday gatherings is of course the Christmas tree,

Christmas tree farms in North Carolina’s mountains play a vital role in the holiday season, producing over 20% of the nation’s real Christmas trees. But this year, many of those farms faced significant challenges in the wake of Hurricane Helene.