4 September 2007Whec.com
News 10NBC has told you the problems the drought was causing for crop farmers. Well, it's much the same for area fruit growers.
At Green Acres Fruit Farm in Greece it's time for apples, and peaches.
“We're in a Cortland orchard. These trees were planted in 1992. And as you can see there's a pretty good crop of apples,” said Craig Michaloski from Green Acre Fruit Farm.
With cool nights and sunny days, the apples are starting to get color. Dry weather usually means the sugar level is higher, so the apples should be sweeter this year. But they will also be smaller on average.
“Usually Cortlands can be a three or three and-a-quarter inch apple, much bigger. That's a direct result of the dry season that we're having,” Michaloski said. “The reason why it's a dwarf tree is because the root system is small. Small root system, it isn't as efficient picking up the water as perhaps a bigger tree would do with deeper tap roots.”
But irrigation is expensive. Green Acres uses drip hoses for its seven acres of peaches. Michaloski said they have been running the trickle irrigation almost daily.
Because of all this Michaloski thinks we are going to see some fruit that looks a little than we are used to. “They might be one half size smaller than people are accustomed to. But that's okay. They're going to taste sweet. They're going to be good,” Michaloski said.
There should be plenty of apples to eat this year. They're estimating the second biggest crop in state history.
With Halloween being just two months away Green Acres says the pumpkin crop looks good right now.
