Once again, the official White House Christmas Tree that will decorate the Blue Room on the first floor of the U.S. president’s home in Washington, D.C., in 2024 is going to be a Fraser fir grown in North Carolina.
The honor has gone to North Carolina 17 times, more than any other state. The tradition began in 1966, during the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson.
This year’s 18-foot White House Christmas Tree is coming from Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm near Newland in Avery County, N.C., a family business that was launched in 1959 by Sam and Margaret Cartner (shown below).
Both are now deceased. Their three sons – David, Jim and Sam Jr. – now own and operate the 500-acre tree farm, employing Ronnie Beam as field manager to handle the production aspects of the farm.
(The
selection of Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm gives North Carolina back-to-back
White House “winners.” In 2023, the Blue Room featured a Fraser fir from Cline
Church Nursery, a 700-acre family farm near Fleetwood in Ashe County, N.C.,
owned by Cline and Ellen Church.)
Sam Cartner Jr. said that officials from the White House are scheduled to arrive at Cartner’s farm on Oct. 28 and choose a tree that will be harvested on Nov. 20. Festivities will include a send-off event that pays tribute to the Hurricane Helene flood first responders and helps raise funds for families recovering from the massive flooding that occurred in Avery County.
The designated Fraser fir is expected to arrive at the White House about on or about Nov. 25, and Sam Cartner Jr. says the family is looking forward to participating in the ceremonies.
A
few days ago, Jennifer Greene, executive director of the North Carolina
Christmas Trees Association, based in Boone, said: “We do not expect the
aftermath of Hurricane Helene to have a significant effect on the supply of
real North Carolina Fraser fir Christmas trees this holiday season. Christmas
tree farmers are resilient, and they possess the grit and determination to
overcome the most challenging circumstances.”
Carrie McClain of Hart-T-Tree Farms near Grassy Creek in Ashe County told news reporters that the Christmas tree growers appear to have suffered minimal damage. The biggest concern for some growers will be road access – “Can I get the trees out of the field.” But I think the majority will be able to get their trees out.”
Larry Smith of Mountain Top Fraser Fir near Newland said the flood washed away a barn that his grandfather built, “but we got most of our equipment moved” – the tractors and trailers that he and his brother, Lynn, use to haul the trees down off the mountain. We did lose a couple vehicles, but they were older.”
Smith
said the power at his farm was out for about two weeks, but fortunately,
Christmas trees require no electricity to grow in the field. The Smith brothers
raise about 40,000 trees, of which about a tenth are harvested each year.
“We have a long way to go,” Greene said, “but we have every confidence that in November, we will welcome our faithful friends to our local choose and cut farms and our wholesale Christmas trees will be on their way down the mountain, ready to help families celebrate the merriest season of all.”
“Many
have asked how they can support Christmas tree farmers in western North
Carolina. Be sure to buy a real Christmas tree, preferably a North Carolina
Fraser fir, but any real tree helps support what we dedicate our lives to do.”
North Carolina is No. 2 nationally in Christmas tree production behind Oregon.
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