Farmers and Orchards Brace for Cold

Grand Island, Hastings, Kearney, DesMoines, and the rest of Nebraska and Iowa

Moderators: Coyote, nebugeater, Brad, Omaha Cowboy, BRoss

Post Reply
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033311
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Farmers and Orchards Brace for Cold

Post by Brad »

Nebraska City's Apple Crop Braces For Cold

http://www.ketv.com/news/11554806/detail.html
OMAHA, Neb. -- Nebraska City is the state's apple capital. But this week's cold spring weather could damage the crop.  Eric Olson estimates he's already lost about 10 percent of his apple crop to frost.  This week's unseasonably cold temperatures have already ruined the Nebraska orchard manager's Asian pear crop.  "It's a 100 percent loss," Olson said.
If it the temperatures remain below 18 degrees for an extended time, Olson is afraid he could lose up to 40 percent of his apples.  The autumn tourism season is big business for Nebraska City growers who rely on the fruit to bring visitors from all over the midwest.  "We get probably get probably 100,000 visitors to Nebraska City just for apples," said Olson.
Last edited by Brad on Sat Apr 07, 2007 4:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033311
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Post by Brad »

Wheat Growers Worry About Cold Damage

http://www.ketv.com/news/11554793/detail.html
OMAHA, Neb. -- The National Weather Service said the arctic cold over much of Nebraska could be a danger to many crops.

Workers at Kimmel Orchard near Nebraska City said they already lost nearly an acre of Asian pears and a half-acre of white peaches. They said 90 acres of apples, cherries and grapes are still in danger.

At James Arthur Vineyards and other vineyards in Missouri and Illinois, workers have been left waiting to see how vines will bloom, but some have already seen damage.  


Winter wheat growers were aided in part by an unlikely ally -- snow, which insulates crops.

Still, extra wheat that was planted last fall may not yield as much as originally thought, and some farmers are considering a switch to corn.
Post Reply