We’ve spent the last few weeks going up and down the rows in the orchards mowing, weed-eating and looking for apples on the trees. We haven’t spotted much fruit thanks to the freezing temperatures during the night of May 8th. Not many apples survived those freezing temperatures. This is not isolated to our orchard only, as we’ve made contact with other area orchards and they have experienced the same damage. In fact the entire state has had some type of freeze damage that has drastically reduced fruit crops. Our area just has just been hit rather drastically. As the season progresses we will be able to better determine what we have and what markets we can attend. Still undetermined at this point, but one thing is sure and that is no peaches for this season.
Even though there is a reduced amount of fruit and thus a reduced harvest, our work does not stop. We continue to maintain a program of grass mowing, weed control and management of the fruit trees. Diseases still raise their nasty heads and will attack the trees if not properly managed with fungicides and insecticides. There are scab, fire blight, cedar apple rust, aphids, oriental fruit moths and codling moths, just to name a few. Disease and insects don’t give us a break just because we have reduced fruit on the trees. Life goes on for them and so we go on also, contending with what challenges are out there and working to keep things under control.
The new trees that were planted this spring have been growing and a welcome rain last night helped them considerably. Watering trees with irrigation does not take the place of Mother Nature’s rains. Irrigation is a good backup but nothing replaces the natural rains.
So far, 2020 has been a most challenging year for all of us, not many breaks at all for anyone, especially for those in the agricultural business. Agriculture is always a challenge but more so this year contending with COVID-19 and its impact on the farming economy. Remember, we are all in this together, so whenever you can, buy local and support the grower who regularly comes to the Farmers’ Markets. These local growers depend on you.