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Apples have begun to ripen at Carter Hill Orchard in Concord, N.H. Heavy rains in the Northeast have left farmers optimistic. (Jim Cole/Associated Press) |
Apple growers expect good year
Heat may hurt Northwest crop
ALBANY, N.Y. - Heavy rains in the Northeast have apple farmers predicting an ample crop, but record high temperatures in the Pacific Northwest could hurt the harvest in Washington, the nation’s top apple-growing state.
The US Department of Agriculture won’t release its forecast for the 2009 apple harvest until next week, but growers in most parts of the United States say they expect a good year, despite some bad weather. The United States is the world’s second-largest producer of apples, behind China.
The New York Apple Association expects this fall’s harvest to be at least as big as last year’s 29.8 million bushels. The 2007 crop was one of the state’s best ever, with a harvest of 31.1 million bushels. Growers in New York, the number two apple-producing state, are expected to start picking early varieties, such as Ginger Gold and Paula Red, in the next couple of weeks. The Macintosh harvest starts the first week in September, kicking the season into full swing.
“There won’t be any shortage or quality issues,’’ despite excessive rains and lower temperatures this year, said Eric Brown, of Orchard Dale Fruit Farm in Waterport, N.Y. “Everything looks to be on track.’’
Moisture often produces bigger apples, but Brown, who grows more than a dozen varieties on 200 acres in central New York, said he is not expecting that after a cool summer.
Michael Boylan of Gardiner, N.Y., an apple grower in the Hudson Valley, said he was delighted this week to see more sunshine, which he says is needed to help the fruit obtain proper color and flavor.
In Michigan, the nation’s third-largest apple producer, growers are anticipating one of the largest harvests in years - about 23.5 million bushels. That’s a boon after last year’s approximately 13.5 million bushels, one of the worst harvests in years.
Denise Donohue, executive director of the Michigan Apple Committee, said a cooler summer seems to have helped this year’s apples, although the harvest may start a few days later.
New England and Pennsylvania, the nation’s number four apple state, also had plenty of rain, and apple growers in those states say the fruit looks big and plentiful. Forecasts aren’t yet available for New England.
Meanwhile, Washington apple growers have been applying special clays and waxes to their trees to protect them from temperatures in the high 90s and low 100s and reduce sunburn, which can cause serious economic losses. Trees shut down when it gets that hot and stop putting their energy into growth, said Mike Bush, an educator with Washington State University in Yakima County. The shutdown could delay the harvest or result in some smaller fruit, he said.
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
