HERRIN, Ill. - The customers may be enjoying their time at Wiswell's Christmas Tree Farm in Herrin, Illinois, but for owner Stacy Holloway, it's a year to forget.
"The summer that we had just did not allow the trees that we planted this year to have any growth," she said.
Holloway said she had no choice but to mow over close to 3,000 trees that were planted in March. The sun also burned up about 2,000 from last year's bunch.
"Due to the lack of rain, it didn't provide them any water for the green to stay there," Holloway said.
There is some good news, though. Holloway pointed out that the older trees did survive. It takes anywhere from 6 to 12 years to produce a hardy Christmas tree, so Holloway doesn't expect to see the affects of this year's drought anytime soon.
"That is in 10 to 12 years. Those are our trees for selling. So, it does make it very difficult to know that you spent all that time and effort and there's going to be nothing there in the end," she said.
She plans to cut her loses this year and prays she'll have Mother Nature on her side next year.
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