Fishkill farm hopes to avoid a total loss, temperatures may be below 20F
From Fishkill Farm,
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We want to share an important update regarding the weather forecast for very early Tuesday morning, which is expected to drop to the mid to high 20s.
These temperatures pose a serious risk to our fruit trees, especially our apple blossoms, which are currently in bloom. At this stage, every degree below 28°F can cause significant damage to the crop, up to complete crop loss in the low 20’s.
Because our orchard sits on rolling terrain, we are also at risk of a temperature inversion on clear, still nights. In these conditions, colder air settles in the lower parts of the farm while warmer air sits above it, meaning ground-level temperatures can be 5-10 degrees colder than the forecast.
To protect the crop, we will be using frost mitigation methods. This includes using orchard heaters and, importantly, a helicopter to circulate warmer air down throughout the orchard. The helicopter will likely be operating between approximately 2:00-7:00 am tomorrow morning (Tuesday, April 21st).
We sincerely apologize for any disruption this may cause, especially the noise from the helicopter. We do not take these measures lightly, and only use them when absolutely necessary to protect our fruit crop.
We appreciate your understanding, patience, and support.
