MOLINE, Illinois- If you're looking to buy a real tree for Christmas you may want to do it as soon as possible.
Some local tree farms are running out fast.
"The first weekend most people come in and get all the big and tall trees so as that goes on people look and go aww you don't have any tall trees left...so we may have to shut down after the second weekend," says owner of Wyffels Tree Farm, Rick Wyffel.
On Black Friday, dozens went out to Wyffels Tree Farm to shop around for a Christmas Tree. The farm already selling around 70 trees.
A tradition that some families have kept up for years.
"Kind of a family Christmas tradition the day after thanksgiving," says Andy Shrake, Christmas tree buyer.
Shrake and his family set out to buy a tree every Black Friday for the past ten years, getting an early pick on the holiday trees.
"The longer you wait the less selection you have," says Shrake.
The shortage of Christmas trees has spread to other parts of the country.
According to the National Christmas Tree Association the shortage stems from 10 years ago during the great recession when many tree farmers simply planted fewer trees or went out of business.
"Its just a matter of how many trees you have each year...we've always said there might be a year we'd actually have to not sell for a whole year for our field to get caught up. We haven't got to that yet but we think one of those days might be coming," says Wyffel.
He says they're hoping to keep up with demand and have ordered 700 more trees to plant for the year.
