Christmas tree growers in the state are hoping for a good holiday season – at least better than the growing season in some parts of the state this year. MyronSchmitt runs a tree farm near Holt in Northwest Missouri. He says his farm was hit hard by the drought, losing half to two-thirds of the trees planted this year, but he says there’s no danger of a shortage of trees. Schmitt won’t give away any of his secrets to growing a great Christmas tree, but he will say it takes a lot of work in the heat of summer to shape it just right. An example of Schmitt’s workstands outside the Governor’s office – a nine-foot white pine.