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This weekend is the last chance to buy a Christmas tree from Gilbert Christmas Tree Farm after a successful Christmas season. According to Owner Ray Gilbert, the farm only has approximately 250 trees left for sale.

“We’re almost sold out,” Gilbert said. “We’re one of the few farms left open in the area.”

This year Gilbert Tree Farm has already sold out of trees that are 8 ft and taller. Most of the trees left for sale are the Leyland Cypress and Virginia Pines, which are between 5 and 7 ft tall. A few Fraser Fir trees are also left. All of the Carolina Sapphire trees have sold out.

Based on last year, Gilbert estimated that this weekend will see around 100 to 150 sales of trees as families buy their trees at the last minute.

“We’re sold down a good bit, and we don’t need to sell much more,” Gilbert said.

Gilbert Christmas Tree Farm closed the same weekend last year. Although they had better sales last year, Gilbert is still pleased with the turnout. 

On Thanksgiving weekend, Gilbert Tree Farm sold 300 trees. Gilbert said that the number might have been higher if the weather had been better.

“We had a real good crowd that weekend,” Gilbert said. “Sales weren’t as good as last year. I’m assuming that’s because it was so muddy from the rain.”

This year there was a shortage of the Fraser Fir trees that Gilbert ordered from North Carolina. Rather than the usual order of 200, Gilbert only received 180 trees. There was also a shortage of 9 ft and 10 ft trees. 

This year, the Fraser Fir trees from North Carolina also cost more, so Gilbert had to adjust his price accordingly. However, the Leyland Cypress, Virginia Pine and Carolina Sapphire remained at the same price.

The main sellers this year have been the Leyland Cypress and Virginia Pine trees. Gilbert began the tree farm with the Virginia Pine, but over the years Leyland Cypress trees became popular. However, Gilbert continued to grow the Virginia Pine for the customers who asked for them.

“A lot of tree farms don’t sell the Virginia Pine tree,” Gilbert said. “As long as people keep asking about it, I’ll keep growing them.”