Despite the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, a family-owned Christmas tree farm in Avery County, North Carolina, will have one of its trees gracing the White House this holiday season. Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm, a decades-old business, is sending a 20-foot Fraser fir to Washington, D.C., after the farm’s selection as the 2024 National Christmas Tree Association’s grand champion.
Last year, the Cartner family was already aware that one of their trees would be chosen for the White House, but the impact of Hurricane Helene brought unexpected challenges. The storm caused severe flooding and mudslides across western North Carolina, taking out between 5,000 to 6,000 trees, but luckily, many others survived. “We wanted to really be an uplifting symbol for the other farmers and people in western North Carolina who have experienced so many losses,” said Sam Cartner Jr., one of the three brothers who run the farm.
Though much of the damage is hidden in the back of the farm, where rows of dark green trees stand tall, the storm’s impact is evident in the washout of roads and the loss of thousands of smaller trees. Cartner noted that the trees affected weren’t of market size, and he remains optimistic about this year’s harvest. “We’re looking forward to a relatively normal harvest, while others will have a much harder time,” he said.
The storm’s aftermath has created significant challenges for local farmers, particularly in repairing infrastructure like roads. Jennifer Greene, executive director of the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association, explained that while some farms have faced losses, farmers in the region, who harvest between 4 to 5 million trees annually, are resilient and working through the difficulties.
Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm has been in the family since 1959, initially growing cattle and vegetables alongside Fraser firs. Over the years, the farm has expanded to about 500 acres of trees and employs seasonal workers from Mexico to help with year-round care. The farm’s business mainly consists of selling trees to independent garden centers and stores across the country.
In late October, White House staff visited the farm to select the official tree, which is about 25 years old and weighs between 400 to 500 pounds. The tree, chosen for its color and size, will be transported to Washington using a crane. Cartner and his family will present the tree to First Lady Jill Biden at a ceremony at the White House before returning in December to see it displayed in the Blue Room.
For Cartner, the White House honor is a symbol of hope for his community, which has faced so much hardship due to the storm. “My parents would be proud to see the farm representing western North Carolina during this tough time,” he said. “This tree represents faith, hope, love, joy, and family—values we need to recognize, especially now.”