Peach farmers say cold weather means better quality crops

4 days ago 1

BEEN TALKING ABOUT HOW COLD IT IS AND T H FREEZE AFFECTING ERS ALL OVER THE ST BUT IT’S NOT ALL BAD. WV 13 S Z BLAIR SPOKE TO FARM OWNER TODAY WHO SAYS THE FREEZE IS HELPING MORE THAN IT’S HURTING. ICE, SNOW A FREEZIN TEMPERATURES. WINTER WEATHER WOULD GOY,E ' ’S NOT THE CASEN CHILTON COUNTY. PEACH FARMERS OVER AT DICK RBIN FARMS SAY THE COLD IS ACTUALLY HELPING THEIR CROPS THIS TIME OF THE YEA IT’ VERY BENEFL FOR US. SO AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR P TREES, THEY’RE IN THEIR DORMANT STAGE RIGHT NO THEY’RE ACCUMULATING CHILL HO IT’S REALLY G TO HELP THEM WITH PRODUCTION GOING INTO THESP OWNER COLBY JONES SAYS THIS COLD WEATHER HELPS THEM HAVE BETTER QUALITY CROPS. IF THEY DON’T GET ENOUGH DORMANCY, PRODUCTION QUALITY IS NOT GOING TO BE THERE. LEAVE PRODUN MIGHT NOT BE THERE, AND THAT’S GOING TO AFFECT EVERYG IN ITSELF. JONES SAYS LAST YEAR’S P CROP WAS THE BEST IN OVER A DECADE, WITH FARMS BRINGING IN OVER $6 MILLION THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. THANKS TO THIS WINTER WEATHER, THEY’RE ON TRACK FOR THAND OF CROPO HAPPEN AGAIN. ME PLACES WERE DOING 50 TO AN 8ROP, WHICH IS GOOD. NORMALLY, NOBODY EVEN GETS CLOSE TO A 50% CROP. THISD WEATHERAY BE GOOD FORHE PEACH TREBUTHAT’S NOT THEE FOR ALL THE CROPS THESE TARPS OVER HERE ARE COVERING THE STRAWBERRIES SO THEY DON’T GET DESTROYED BY FREEZING WINDS. JONESAYS STRAWBERRIES ARE THE ONLYROP THEY’RE WORRIED ABOUT DURING THIS COLD SNAP. BUTF PLANTS GET DESTROYED, THEY’RE LOSING A BIG MONEYMAKER. IF THEY GET THAT COLD HEM, IT C KIND OF DAMAGE THE LEAVESTH AND HERE IN CHILTON COUNT STRAWBERRIES ARE A HUGE PRODUCT FOR US ALL. THE STRAWBERRIES ARE COVERED. SO DURBI FARMS SHOULD BE IN THEC JONES SAYS THE BIG CONCERN WILL BE IF ANOTHER HARD FREEZE HAPPENS CLOSER TO SPRING.

While many people are ready for the winter weather to go away, peach farmers at Durbin Farms are happy to see the freezing temperatures, saying it will help the quality of this year's peach crop."This time of year is very beneficial for us," owner Colby Jones said. "As you can see, our peach trees are in their dormant stage right now, they're accumulating the chill hours which is really going to help them with production going into the spring and summer."Jones said the dormancy hours are extremely important."If they don't get enough dormancy, production quality's not going to be there, leaf production might not be there, and that's going to affect everything in itself," he said.Jones said last year's peach crop was the best in at least ten years. With this cold weather, there's hope that this year's will be just as good."It was close to some places were close to a 50-80% crop which is good, normally nobody even gets close to a 50% crop," Jones said.The weather is good for their peaches, but the freezing winds could be destructive for their strawberry plants."If they get that cold on them it can kind of damage the leaves and things like that and here in Chilton County, strawberries are a huge product for us," Jones said. They were able to cover their strawberry crop before the weather hit, so the plants will be safe during this cold snap. Jones said the biggest issue will be if another hard freeze hits closer to spring.

CLANTON, Ala. —

While many people are ready for the winter weather to go away, peach farmers at Durbin Farms are happy to see the freezing temperatures, saying it will help the quality of this year's peach crop.

"This time of year is very beneficial for us," owner Colby Jones said. "As you can see, our peach trees are in their dormant stage right now, they're accumulating the chill hours which is really going to help them with production going into the spring and summer."

Jones said the dormancy hours are extremely important.

"If they don't get enough dormancy, production quality's not going to be there, leaf production might not be there, and that's going to affect everything in itself," he said.

Jones said last year's peach crop was the best in at least ten years. With this cold weather, there's hope that this year's will be just as good.

"It was close to some places were close to a 50-80% crop which is good, normally nobody even gets close to a 50% crop," Jones said.

The weather is good for their peaches, but the freezing winds could be destructive for their strawberry plants.

"If they get that cold on them it can kind of damage the leaves and things like that and here in Chilton County, strawberries are a huge product for us," Jones said.

They were able to cover their strawberry crop before the weather hit, so the plants will be safe during this cold snap. Jones said the biggest issue will be if another hard freeze hits closer to spring.

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