Christmas Tree Resilience: From Mudslides to the White House

The Cartner family, owners of a North Carolina Christmas tree farm, are preparing to send one of their trees to the White House after surviving Hurricane Helene's devastation. Despite losing thousands of trees to mudslides, the farm remains a symbol of resilience and hope for the region's farmers.

After enduring Hurricane Helene's destructive impact, the Cartner family's North Carolina Christmas tree farm will supply a tree for the White House. Despite losing thousands of trees to mudslides, a standout 20-foot conical tree survived and was chosen to represent the nation's capital this holiday season.

Sam Cartner Jr., co-owner of the farm, expressed hope that their tree would symbolize resilience for farmers in western North Carolina affected by the storm. The farm, which has grown from humble beginnings in 1959, faces challenges including infrastructure repairs, but remains optimistic about the upcoming harvest.

The White House selection, a 25-year-old Fraser fir, will be presented to First Lady Jill Biden. Despite the challenges posed by the storm and harvest season pressures, the Cartners are moving forward, aiming to represent the community's strength and spirit during difficult times.

(With inputs from agencies.)