AMERICAN FORK, Utah — Christmas tree farms are now open for business as the holiday season is just around the corner.
This year, local businesses like Ault's Christmas Trees are adjusting to hurdles like inflation and massive forest fires on the west coast impacting supply and prices.
“All of Oregon got burned,” said owner Leo Ault. "The Noble Fir, they lost millions and millions and millions of them this year.”
Ault has been in the business for nearly 80 years now and has kept the business running, with the help of his family.
He said this year was tricky to keep things running.
Forest fires swept through the farm they get 200-300 trees from each season, forcing them to switch vendors last-minute, and receiving only half the amount of trees they normally do.
Thankfully, the Aults saw down and select hundreds more trees for the lot each season.
“We encounter a lot of moose, a lot of bears, foxes, mountain sheep,” said Ault, “It’s really up in the high country.”
It’s not an easy task in two feet of snow dragging each tree uphill, but one Ismael Olvera, who has worked for the Ault’s for ten years now, says is worth it.
“All these trees really have their own story,” said Olvera, “Depending on where they come from on the hill, some get more sun, some get more water, and just going up there you can kind of tell. I love it. Just bringing the spirit to the whole city. To people’s homes. It’s like a one-of-a-kind thing.”
Thankfully, despite inflation forcing the Aults to raise prices to $10-20 more per tree than last year, customers seem to be in the holiday spirit too.
“Gonna get a fresh tree every year,” said Guillermo Bustamante, who takes his kids to the Aults' lot each year. He said the higher prices didn’t impact his decision to buy a real tree for Christmas.
Ault says they had a successful first weekend regardless of a lower supply and pricier trees, and encourage people to shop locally for fresh trees in a year that’s been tough for the industry.
“That’s what I’d like is to have my lifeline to keep this tree lot going,” he said.
He added he hopes the experience of shopping for the perfect Christmas tree brings joy to Utahn families.
“I hope they love it.”
