Cold Weather Killing Crops

Cold temperatures are becoming a pest for area farmers.

Terry Paul of Paul’s Farm Market said the warm winter caused fruit to develop too early.  He said a recent string of chilly nights is putting his young apple crops in danger.

"According to the charts we have, when it gets down to 27 degrees, at least 10% of what’s there gets zapped, and you can’t continue to have this type of mornings," said Paul.

Paul said he grows a variety of crops, so his business is safer than farmers who rely soley on fruit.  However, the weather is affecting almost his entire orchard.

"The stone fruit, which is the peaches, plums and nectarines, I don’t know if they’re totally eliminated, but they’re really a small crop if we do have any," said Paul.  "There are still pears on the trees, so hopefully we’ll have some pears."

Paul said there’s not much he can do without special machinery to protect his trees.