Farmers in Burlington are facing a tough time due to freezing temperatures that threaten their peach crops.
Buttermilk Creek Farm’s peach trees bloomed early this year due to a warm February, and now the winter air could kill off all the crops that are ahead of schedule.
Steve Smith, the owner of Buttermilk Creek Farms, said that almost every bud on these trees could be killed, leaving them with no peaches for this year’s crop.
While frost can help to thin the balloons and allow fruit to grow larger and sweeter, it seems like it’s already too late to protect the peach trees.
However, the farm’s blackberries and blueberries should be able to weather the cold temperatures, and Smith is also planning to grow a variety of vegetables this summer.
The weather is affecting fruit-growing regions around the Piedmont Triad, but farmers like Smith are trying to stay optimistic and make the best of the situation.
