Christmas tree farms see a brighter season one year after Hurricane Helene hit Western NC

NORTH CAROLINA (WTVD) -- When Hurricane Helene tore through Western North Carolina last September, many of the state's hundreds of Christmas tree farms were just gearing up for their busiest season.

Fourteen months after the storm, things are looking a little brighter this holiday season.

"The big message that we're, you know, trying to send out to the world is that we are open this year. We are accessible, and western North Carolina is still rebuilding. And we need your support," said Darren Nicholson with Boyd Mountain Christmas Tree Farm in Waynesville, west of Asheville.

Nicholson worked at Boyd Mountain Christmas Tree Farm for 15 years, but for the Western NC native, the holidays never get old.

"There's an energy that happens when all these people bring their families and come to the farm," he said.

That's a feeling that was lost at the end of 2024, when Helene ravaged farms like Boyd Mountain, shutting down travel across the mountains and grinding the state's booming tree farm business to a virtual halt. Nicholson's tree inventory was largely spared, but it meant thousands of dollars in lost sales -- in addition to major flood damage.

"We were all just trying to lift each other up and hold our hands through this, through this time period," he said.

This holiday season, it's a different story. On a cold morning in early November -- with snow already blanketing the farm -- Nicholson knows that welcoming back families for their annual Christmas tradition will mean more this year.

"That's going to make it all worthwhile when you see families out here and they're taking pictures, they've brought their pets out, and you see the kids smiling and it's a feeling," he said.

It may be a feeling, but it's a major economic driver, too. According to the North Carolina Christmas Tree Farm Association, some 3 million trees are harvested by growers across the state each year. Local tourism officials are hopeful it's a reason for people to return this holiday season -- and maybe do more than cut down a tree.

"The holiday season is so important here and the Christmas spirit is really alive from the 130th anniversary of Christmas at Biltmore on one end of town, you've got great shopping in downtown," said Vic Isley, President & CEO of Explore Asheville.

That's the message of hope this holiday season, a spirit being rekindled tree by tree.

"Come buy a Christmas tree at Boyd Mountain and eat in our shop, stay in our hotels and visit our area," said Nicholson.

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