Del. apple orchard: “We are optimistic”
BRIDGEVILLE, Del. – With the summer season about halfway over, T.S. Smith and Sons tells 47 ABC they haven’t seen too much rain so their apples are in good shape. And believe it or not, the Bridgeville orchard is already harvesting some of their apples. They tell 47 ABC they’re hopeful because the fruit is looking a lot better than last year’s crop.
“Certainly this year I don’t think has been as challenging as the other last couple of years,” says Matt Smith, one of the owners of T.S. Smith and Sons.
T.S. Smith and Sons says things are looking bright for their apples this season, thanks to Mother Nature. “We have been able to manage the rainfall just a little although we don’t have a lot to do with it we haven’t gotten the six or seven inch rains all at one time,” says Smith.
However, Matt Smith tells 47 ABC some of the recent storms brought damaging hail. “We had some small hail that did affect some of the honey crisp. Some of our peach crop was affected. Nothing detrimental but we know it did some damage.”
While the weather has cooperated for the most part, peak hurricane season on Delmarva is right around the corner, from the end of August to October.
“Certainly we live in an area where weather is a threat. Hurricanes are a threat. Apples certainly don’t like a lot of wind torrential rain,” says Smith.
Another challenge apple orchards face here on Delmarva is the humidity. “The humidity is tough because you have to constantly fight disease. You are probably putting on fungicide sprays that maybe other growers don’t have to.”
And Smith tells 47 ABC the harvesting times seem to come earlier and earlier every year. “It’s a little bit early the seasons seem to come a little earlier every year. Whether it’s the fact that the weather is warmer throughout the spring and summer or certainly global warming has a lot to do with it.”
Despite nature’s unpredictability, T.S. Smith and Sons is staying positive. “Right now, we are optimistic. Things have been good so far with our fruit crop.”
As for other fall crops, T.S. Smith and Sons tells 47 ABC they’ll likely start planting broccoli and cauliflower by the end of the month and they should be ready to harvest in October.
Since parts of Delmarva can get hit by storms, while others don’t see any rain, 47 ABC also reached out to M and C Vessey Farm in Westover, Maryland. They tell 47 ABC, they saw quite a bit of rain this past week which doesn’t fair well with apple orchards.
