Farming can be a tale of the good, the bad, and the ugly. The good news is that everyone at Balsam Hill Farm is looking forward to reconnecting with our customers and friends when we open for a sixth season on Friday, November 28th at 10am. Preparations are coming to a close and we will have a selection of about seven-hundred fresh, fragrant balsam fir Christmas trees in sizes from table top to ten feet or more. The recent months were not without challenges as too much rain at one time in 2023 and again in April and May of this year followed by the drought conditions this summer and early fall wreaked havoc on many plant species including many varieties of conifers. Growth rates of some tree types continue to struggle in some areas. This combined with extended demand have created a reduced number of tall trees in parts of the market for this season and possibly next. The wet weather of 2023 and this spring have also seen mortality rates for many growers reach as high as 30% this year compared to the traditional 3-5% usually realized in a given cycle. Despite the adversity, farmers including BHF are finding ways to overcome these obstacles and provide fresh, fragrant Christmas trees for this season and many to come. We appreciate sharing in your family traditions and look forward to seeing everyone very soon. For now, we hope that you are enjoying everything that the fall season has to offer!