00:00We were definitely happy going into the year because we had an abundancy of trees and not just the number of trees, but they all look relatively well.
00:08It's a much different picture from last year when drought left farms across the northeast struggling to keep their youngest trees alive.
00:15Every year is a challenge. We deal with the weather, we deal with diseases, we deal with the type of tree we plant when it's a baby.
00:24But basically we try to make sure that we get off to a good start.
00:27Getting a good start meant relying heavily on irrigation. Many farms had no choice but to run wells nonstop just to keep new plantings alive.
00:36At this farm we have three wells and they're just constantly being used and the electric bill at the month can be $1,200 to $1,500 a month.
00:45Christmas trees take nearly a decade to grow, meaning the impacts from last year's drought could ripple for years.
00:51We plant a block and let's say there's 250 trees in a block. After the first year there may be only 110 that's alive.
00:58So that means 125 or 150 have to be replanted. So it's replanting until you've got a substantial field growing normally and then you feel comfortable.
01:09And even with added irrigation, farmers say the final outcome often comes down to the weather.
01:14It's weather conditions all the time. We can control the watering, but we can't control the temperatures. And that's a big factor right there.
01:22The bottom line, this year's Christmas trees are healthy and ready for your living room.
01:26But for farmers, the financial recovery from drought is still years away.
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