In brief
Farmers in the Northeast are facing challenges as an abrupt temperature drop follows an unusually warm April. Crops, including peaches and tulips, are suffering due to these extreme weather fluctuations, leading farmers to harvest early or risk losing their produce. Experts highlight the need for tools and resources to adapt to these changing conditions.
BRIDPORT, Vt. (AP) — An abrupt swing from hot weather to cold across the Northeast is frustrating some flower and fruit farmers who have had to either harvest blooms extra early or fear they could lose some crops altogether.
Frosty nights aren’t unusual this time of year, with the average date of the last frost ranging from mid-April to early June in the region. However, an unusually warm first half of April has led to a quick and concerning drop in temperatures.
Some New England areas reported temperatures in the 80s (around 27 Celsius) last week, only to be followed by snow days later. The cold continued into this week, prompting a freeze warning for parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina.
Ohio farmer Anne Joudrey of Apple Hill Orchards mentioned that early warm weather caused peach and apple trees to start budding prematurely. But the sudden drop into the low 20s (around minus 5 Celsius) has harmed one variety of peaches.
Joudrey remarked, “Farming is farming, and you never know what you’re gonna get, but we had a pretty good bloom, so we were expecting a pretty good crop.”
In Vermont, the abrupt temperature changes have affected Understory Farm's operations. Owner Gregory Witscher noted tulips meant for Mother’s Day have bloomed early, forcing them to harvest early and store in a cooler for longer periods.
Witscher, who cultivates 50 flower varieties, expressed the need for adaptability in such unpredictable weather, commenting, “With the hot weather and then the cold weather, I think it’s intense, and it makes things challenging.”
