EAST CORINTH, Vt. (WCAX) - Vermont Governor Phil Scott visited Martin’s Tree Farm on Monday to cut down a few Christmas trees. But like some others in the Upper Valley, the farm is struggling after drought killed about half of its planted trees.

Armed with a hand saw, Scott spent more than half an hour searching for the perfect evergreens at the farm run by Mary and Jeff Martin. The farm grows 6,000 trees and operates mostly as a cut-your-own retail operation, no wholesale.

“It takes me a long time to find the right tree,” Scott said.

Scott selected three trees for the Statehouse Pavilion, including one for the governor’s office and one for his home. He paid for the trees with a personal check.

The visit highlighted the challenges facing Vermont Christmas tree farms after the summer dr

See Full Page