In April, 98% of cherries, peaches, pears, apples, nectarines and apricots growing across Pennsylvania orchards were damaged in an unseasonably frigid cold freeze that hit the region.
Bucks County fruit farmers were not immune to the devastating crop loss, with the Bucks County Foodshed Alliance reporting nine farms suffering from damages.
This spring’s freezing temperatures caused irreversible effects on the number of crops that farmers will produce this year. Had the weather not been so unseasonably warm before the freeze, the crops would have stood a better chance.
Farmers can only hope that there is not a repeat of this next spring so they can make up for their losses. With less to sell, these farmers are facing unprecedented financial hardships and income loss, with many having to quickly pivot towards different sources of revenue.
The Bucks County Foodshed Alliance (BCFA) is hosting online donations via Givebutter to raise funds that will go directly towards nine farms in Bucks County impacted by this loss.
In addition to donations, people are encouraged to continue shopping at local markets and farm stands to show support during these trying times.
“Right now, Pennsylvania farmers are facing catastrophic losses through no fault of their own, and they deserve a federal government that moves with urgency.” – Governor Josh Shapiro
New Hope’s Manoff Market & Cidery was among the local farms affected by this freeze. In 42 years of business, they hadn’t experienced anything like this – until this past spring.
“This freeze was worse (than usual) because the temperature dropped more than a few degrees below 32. It was 25 degrees here,” said Amy Manoff, co-owner of Manoff Market. “A few days before this, it was reaching 70 degrees.”
Fruits like apples and peaches didn’t stand a chance with these fluctuating temperatures. They began blossoming when it was warm and were incapable of surviving the cold.
Known for their hard cider and peaches, Manoff Markets is in a tough spot after seeing most of their crops lost overnight.
“We are making up revenue by opening our hard cider space to more events and opportunities to use the space for parties,” said Manoff. “People can help by continuing to come by for seasonal berries, which are doing very well and attending events that they find interesting.”
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Solebury Orchards, another farm in New Hope, saw most of their crops suffer a “total wipeout” after the freeze.
“While it’s not possible to recover the lost fruit, it’s important to continue taking care of the trees so they come back strong and healthy next year,” said Nathaniel Woosley, a merchant at Solebury Orchards.
Like other affected farms, Solebury will be bringing in fruit from other regions that did not suffer the losses to maintain some level of normalcy, such as western New York and New Jersey.
“Another form of support is simply through understanding and patience as we navigate a very different type of year,” said Woosley.
Snipes Farm in Morrisville doesn’t produce fruit, yet after planting an entire field of kale, collard and cabbage, the cold freeze stunted crop growth.
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“There is kind of nothing we can do about it except keep moving forward,” said Snipes Assistant Director of Farming Ella Coscia.
Governor Josh Shapiro has called for expedited support from the federal government to help support Pennsylvania farmers.
“Right now, Pennsylvania farmers are facing catastrophic losses through no fault of their own, and they deserve a federal government that moves with urgency,” said Shapiro.
Customers of local farms can expect produce to run out quicker than normal this year, so be sure to check your local farms’ websites for availability. Also be sure to join your local farms mailing list for access to events.
