MIFFLINBURG, Pa. — Christmas came alive at the annual auction held this week at the Buffalo Valley Produce Auction in Pennsylvania. Attendees were treated to a festive shopping experience as about 50,000 Christmas trees and a wide assortment of wreaths and crafts were up for grabs.
Buyers from across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions came in chilly weather to secure inventory for their stores, preparing for the rush as the holiday season approaches. Most sought-after were Fraser firs, which dominate the market.
“It’s incredible, it’s changed our whole world,” remarked Cory Stephens, a returning buyer who spent nearly $5,000 on décor for his store in Maryland. “If you know what you’re looking for, it’s very hard to beat the quality.”
With shifting trends in consumer behavior, many households are opting for artificial trees, but a recent study indicates that strong scent remains a decisive factor in favoring real trees. Educated guesses suggest no increase in wholesale prices this season, encouraging hopeful sentiments among growers.
Buffalo Valley auction manager Neil Courtney expressed optimism about the future of live tree sales: “The live tree puts the real Christmas in your house.”
The National Christmas Tree Association announced that over 21 million farm-grown Christmas trees were sold in 2023, indicating a stable market for the evergreen holiday tradition.
