Though it didn't look a lot like Christmas with the weekend thunderstorms and mud, holiday revelers still forged into the great outdoors to cut down their own trees.
Rain all but turned Martin's Tree Farm in Hampstead into a "big lake" forcing it to close early on Saturday. The Carroll County farm opened late yesterday morning, but sales have not dropped overall, owner Janet Martin said.
"It really hasn't hurt us," Martin said. "We've had excellent turnout this year."
At Green Hill Tree Farm in Baldwin in northern Baltimore County, owner Charlotte Purdum said yesterday she was astonished that so many people showed up.
"You can't believe that people would come out in the rain to cut a tree," she said. "You'd be surprised what people would do."
The National Weather Service forecast showers or light snow again on Tuesday afternoon with a chance of rain next weekend.
Forecaster Andy Woodcock said he was impressed that many trucked out to tree farms this weekend. "Congratulations to all Baltimoreans who went out there to do this," he said. "There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes."
But Linda Hagan, owner of Cedar Creek Farm near Westminster, said she believes the weekend's turnout had little to do with the strength of the human spirit. It was more about stress: Christmas, after all, is only a week away.
"This weekend is it," Hagan reminded. "It's getting late."
