Talk about last minute.

Tom Leonard of Tom Leonard’s Farmers’ Market in Henrico County was notified in October that his Canadian supplier of Christmas trees could not fulfill the market’s annual 5,000-plus tree order. So, with a fast-approaching Christmas kickoff, Leonard reached out to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for help.

“The VDACS marketing team often receives calls for assistance, but the Tom Leonard’s call was unique due to its urgency and size,” said Rob Davenport, VDACS director of marketing and development. “Wholesale Christmas trees are usually pre-sold by the end of summer. Fortunately, Virginia is home to Bottomley Farms in Grayson County, which has over 6,000 acres of trees and has grown into one of the largest shippers and suppliers of Christmas trees in the U.S.”Like most retailers, Leonard’s market places Christmas tree orders a year in advance.

“Everybody wants those 7-to-8-foot trees,” Leonard said. “So, we knew we had a prob...