BOSQUE COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — Droughts over the recent years have impacted Christmas tree farms across the nation.
The Texas Christmas Tree Growers Association believe there’s about a 10 to 15 percent increase in trees this year compared to last year.
Radde Tannenbaum Farm in Bosque County sold their first tree more than thirty years ago.
It's a farm rooted in festive German Christmas tradition and everyone — including hard working elves on staff — are getting into the holiday spirit.
This includes preparing trees for families to take home ahead of the farm's official 2024 holiday opening at 3 p.m. on Friday.
Just about everything on the farm is homegrown — including jellies for spreads and locally sourced honeys.
But if it's not made by their own hands, there’s a good chance they added a special touch especially to Christmas tree ornaments.
"To make it fancier and make it not look like anything else in anybody’s store — it’s difficult to find ornaments that show the real meaning of Christmas — you have to really look," Kathy Radde said.
While in their gift shop, Central Texans can find the perfect gift.
Outside on the farm, you can find the perfect Afghan Pine Tree, with 140 to pick from.
However, due to the drought over the last two years, that number is actually half of what owners Kenneth and Kathy Radde believe they could have had — Kathy calling the drought's impact to their trees "serious".
Although —
"When you’re dealing with nature, you just take what God sends you," Kathy said.
The farm also has the ever popular Frazier Firs for sale, which are shipped in from the eastern side of the United States.
"We were concerned because of the hurricane, but we were able to get these, about 200 of the trees — the same number we had last year."
It’s a farm with family tradition beyond their own.
“I keep up with the customers as best I can and I’ve had some that come for 20 to 25 years," Kenneth said.
During a hayride around the farm, 25 News' Bobby Poitevint asked the couple what makes the perfect Christmas tree...
"It's one that’s shaped right — I tell the children that come out that it’s growing its shape like pointing up to God," Kenneth said.
