For many people, nothing says Christmas merriment like a nicely decorated tree. Well, the Christmas tree-buying season is suddenly in full-swing on the Central Coast and sellers are hoping for a big year.
Central Coast tree farmers typically sell Monterey Pines — they’re native to the region and easiest to grow. But there are a lot of options, including several varieties of pines, firs and spruce.
The Salinas River Ranch in Atascadero has been in Amy George’s family for 90 years, but this is just their second season selling Christmas trees. George said they sell a variety of trees at different price points depending on transportation and labor costs, and she admits prices have crept up.
“I hope people understand that when they go out shopping and it's not because we're price gouging, us farmers out here it's just because it takes a lot of time pruning these trees. These trees have been touched so many times by so many different people, you know, it just is a whole process,” George said.
George said some trees take longer to grow than others, which also affects the price tag.
At Salinas River Ranch prices range from $25 to $250.
