When picking out the perfect Christmas on Raulston Farm in Rock Creek, everyone has their preferences.
But the tree tradition is a bit tainted this year.
The drought that much of the south experienced this summer dried up much of those young growing trees.
Dan Raulston says his farm was spared from much of the dry conditions, but harder hit areas in Tennessee and Georgia are reporting losses as high as 80 percent of their new seedlings.
"If the drought hits at a time when your trees are maybe just planted or had been planted a year, the trees are still trying to get their root system established and it may take a few months but the drought can actually kill the tree," said Raulston.
Raulston says a 7 foot tree on his farm takes about four year to grow, and the larger trees are more weather resistant.
That means the tree chopping about four Christmases from now could be more of a challenge.
"It may stunt the tree too and maybe make a four foot tree not become a five foot tree next year it may still be closer to a four foot tree" said Raulston
Though you might not see the full effect shopping for a tree this year, you might see slightly higher prices since some farmers will have to compensate for their losses.
