How did the September drought affect Ky. Christmas tree lots? One farm is closed.

Poor weather in the summer and fall led a longstanding Richmond Christmas tree farm to close for the 2019 holiday season. Other Central Kentucky farms said this year’s drought could affect future stocks.

Parts of Central Kentucky went more than a month without measurable rainfall until early October. That caused moderate or severe drought, and the area recovered just a couple of weeks ago.

The hot, dry weather resulted in Baldwin Farms closing for the 2019 Christmas season, but owners hope to resume operations next year.

“It has been a difficult and painful decision, but the effects of summer heat and drought have taken a major toll on our trees,” Baldwin Farms posted on Facebook. “When and if the trees recover, perhaps we can open again.”

Barker’s Christmas Tree Farm and Nieman Tree Farm in Lexington will be open this season, as will Winchester’s Kovalic’s Christmas Tree Farm.

But for Marjery Baldwin, who has sold trees at the Richmond farm for 34 years, this year will mark the end of an era.

Baldwin said the farm planted $2,000 worth of trees in the spring, but she noticed they already turned brown by the summer from the heat. The older, more developed trees also turned brown and dropped needles. September’s drought only worsened the condition of the trees.

Unlike some other Christmas tree farms, such as Barker’s and Nieman’s, Baldwin did not irrigate the trees. About 50 to 75 percent of the younger trees died this year, Baldwin said.

“I have loved the Christmas tree business. When my husband and I bought this farm 42 years ago, this is what we wanted to do,” she said. “This was our dream for retirement. It’s pretty hard to work every minute at another job and still plant trees and take care of them, but we made it work. I have always been so happy that we did this. I love the people coming to the farm, seeing them happy, helping them make traditions ... I have seen a lot of people come and go and have enjoyed every minute.”

Where can you cut down a tree?

Even though Baldwin is unavailable, other area farms will help customers who want to cut down their own trees.

Barker’s on Deer Haven Lane will open the day after Thanksgiving and expects to sell between 700 and 800 trees this year, owner Dale Barker said. In past years, the farm sold out in a matter of days.

Thanks to the Barker’s watering and irrigation system, their 2019 stock was not affected by September’s drought. Since Christmas trees take six to eight years to grow, this year’s weather could alter the condition of trees in following years.

“The ones we’ll be cutting this year are more established,” Barker said. “(The drought means) you lose more than you normally would. You’ll lose a greater percentage, but we won’t know until later.”

Nieman’s, located on Sulpher Lane, will likely sell about 1,000 trees this year, owner Tom Nieman said. He expects to be sold out by the first weekend of December.

About 15 to 20 large trees were lost at Kovalic’s in Winchester because of heavy rain in the spring, owner Pete Kovalic said. The loss was large because the farm has a smaller crop of trees. It sells about 400 trees annually, Kovalic said.

Kovalic also said effects of this year’s drought may be seen in future years.

“You can’t kill a tree real quick unless you take a chainsaw to it,” he said.

The future of Baldwin’s

Baldwin said trees dying was not a new problem, but rather one that became more severe this year. After more than three decades selling Christmas trees, Baldwin is looking forward to a more relaxing holiday season.

“It will be sad for me, and everybody. I’m sad but I’m not heartbroken because I’m kind of tired,” she said. “I haven’t had what you would call a normal Thanksgiving or a normal Christmas in 34 years. It will be nice to have a break.”

The farm will offer pumpkin picking next year, Baldwin said, but it’s too early to tell if they will be selling trees again.