Christmas Eve is just two months away and before you know it, you’ll be looking for that perfect Christmas tree to welcome the holiday season.

But locally grown Christmas trees and other crops are suffering from this near record-breaking dry stretch of weather New Jersey has seen.

“This tree looks like it’s dying. We're just going to leave it here and see what happens,” said Bob Clark, examining a Christmas tree on his farm.

The Clark brothers traded in a life of commuting to the city for the countryside at their Fir Farms in Colts Neck. In their more than two decades of farming Christmas trees, hops and honey, they say this year is tough.

“The hardest ever. Really is. It doesn’t rain. Every day is Monday for us,” said Mickey Clark.

Their crop of organic Christmas trees is smaller this year because some just can’t stay alive due to the lack of rain.

“You look around and find trees that are looking like they won’t make it and at this point, we are going to roll the dice and see if they make it or not and if they don’t make it we’ll take them out and hopefully replace them next year,” added Bob Clark.

In a normal year, this is the time when the Clark brothers would begin filling up the gaps in their fields with baby Christmas trees. The planting is on hold because they can’t even get a shovel more than an inch into the ground.

“The field is drying up. The ground is so hard, it’s like concrete, so we can’t plant anything. No one else can plant anything, and we aren’t going to have a new crop for next year for different trees flowers and plants,” said Mickey Clark.

The Clarks’ crop of hops for local breweries barely survived the mid-summer heat wave, their pond has long dried up and now they focus on the busy holiday season with unknown expectations.

“Everyone’s struggling. It’s tough on everyone. Thank a farmer, pat them on the back when you’re out there. Don’t complain about whatever product you’re getting. Just be thankful they’re growing something and farming,” said Clark.

It has been 25 days without rain in New Jersey. Meteorologists say no rain is expected until at least Nov. 1.