The Cartner family had known since last year that one of their farm's Christmas trees would be headed to the White House this winter.
But then Hurricane Helene struck, unleashing a deadly deluge across western North Carolina, including Avery County, where Cartner's Christmas Tree Farm has stood for decades. Though the farm lost thousands of trees to a mudslide, many more survived, including a 20-foot conical tree that dwarfs most of the others on the sprawling farm.
That one will soon be cut down, lifted by a crane and put on a truck bound for the nation's capital.
"We wanted to really be an uplifting symbol for the other farmers and other people in western North Carolina that have experienced so many losses," said Sam Cartner Jr., one of three brothers who owns the farm.
From the back of the farm property, where the White House tree is located, it's hard to see the extent of Helene's damage. Countless rows of dark green trees stand in formation, contrasting against the lighter, mossy green shade of the rolling hills. It's mostly quiet, aside from chirping birds and rustling leaves.
