at area nurseries. >> they had, oh, my goodness, maybe a third of the supply that we've seen in past years. they're tiny. they're cute but like charlie brown trees. so we decided to come here. >> reporter: here is a parking lot in centerville where mount rodgers christmas tree farm has set up shop and she's convinced this is the right spot. >> our tree is here. >> reporter: part of the reason she's struggling has to do with the shortage, something owner rodney richardson is familiar with. >> we've done wholesale, but we've cut our customers back about 10% and we're not taking on new customers because we just don't have the trees. that's pretty well the scenario for all growers now. >> reporter: part of the reason about a decade and a half ago growers had too many trees. then the financial crisis of 2008 hit and people weren't buying them, making it worse. growers planted less.