‘We are crying the blues,’ says local grower

Some local peach growers are disappointed that a recent spate of frigid temperatures ruined the harvest for at least the second year in a row.

“Our peach crop was hurt pretty bad,” H.C. Harold of H.C. Harold Orchard said.

According to figures provided by Virginia Tech, Harold said if the peaches were in bloom, and the temperature dipped to 21 degrees, 90 percent would be killed.

“They were in full bloom and it got down to 17 degrees,” Harold said. “I predict there will be very few peaches, if any at all” this year.

This scenario has played out for the last couple of years, he said, and noted he is disappointed. “We are crying the blues here.”

The only upside is the apple crop appears to have survived, he said.

“Our apples, I think right now are OK. It’s hard to say right now. We’ll just have to wait and see” if there are other cold blasts in the future, Harold said.

Debbe Noonkester, Windy Hill Orchards, a pick-your-own operation she owns with her husband, said the temperature had dipped to 12 degrees by Wednesday morning.

Peach trees there also were in full bloom, and with no snow or ice to insulate and protect them, Noonkester said, “we pretty much lost our peaches this year.”

This also marks the second year the Noonkesters have lost their peach crop, which generates the most revenue, she said.

“They are pretty much gone now. I’m looking at brown blooms,” Noonkester said.

Like Harold, Noonkester said, “The apple trees weren’t budding, so we think they will be OK. The blackberries and grapes are OK too, but probably not the blueberries” and definitely not the peaches, she said.

“Seeing the peaches gone like that really hurts. It’s a very helpless feeling” knowing there is nothing that can be done to save the crop, Nookester said. “We just have to put our trust in the Lord. He did provide last year, and we just trusting in Him” to do the same this year.