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Christmas Tree Farmers Pining For Strong Crop After Poor Weather

Daniel Hurst cuts down a Christmas tree at the John T Nieman Nursery, Nov. 28, 2015, in Hamilton, Ohio. The family business is home to 60,000 trees.
(AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Daniel Hurst cuts down a Christmas tree at the John T Nieman Nursery, Nov. 28, 2015, in Hamilton, Ohio. The family business is home to 60,000 trees.

The hot, dry weather that dominated the region in late September and early October shouldn't have much of an effect on this year's Christmas tree crop. It could mean fewer trees in the future, though.

Kimberly Brown with the says the trees themselves are pretty hardy and can survive a lot. "Mature trees that will be ready to harvest have put their roots down so deeply that I feel like they probably will survive and be okay," she says.

Brown adds some of the Christmas trees that were planted this year won't live to maturity because of the lack of rain.

"I do feel it could affect the future harvest but it seems that most Christmas tree growers plant so many trees. They expect to lose some, or it's not an alarming thing unless it's half your crop or more."

Brown says the trees planted this year won't be ready for another seven or eight years and a lot can happen between now and then.

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Rinehart has been a radio reporter since 1994 with positions in markets like Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska; Sioux City, Iowa; Dayton, Ohio: and most recently as senior correspondent and anchor for Cincinnati’s WLW-AM.