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Ideal Weather was Behind a Historic Apple Season Ideal Weather Behind a Historic Apple Season

By Noah Wolfe

2018 HAS BEEN A HISTORICALLY GOOD YEAR FOR APPLES… AND CENTRAL NEW YORK’S FARMERS ARE REAPING THE BENEFITS. LOCAL FARMER VIC WALTERS SAYS HE’S HAD…

“A FANTASTIC CROP THIS YEAR.”

HONEYCRISP, SWEETANGO AND SNAPDRAGON. THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE SPECIFIC APPLE VARIETIES YOU’LL FIND IN ABUNDANCE HERE IN THE AREA. FARMERS SAY THE WEATHER AND SOME LUCK EXPLAIN THE HIGH YIELD.

“IT WAS A NICE LONG WINTER, SO WE DIDN’T HAVE ANY FREEZE OR FROST INJURY. AND THE CROP WAS A LITTLE LIGHT LAST YEAR SO THAT TENDS TO CALL FOR A HEAVIER CROP.”

BUT THE SEEMINGLY PERFECT WEATHER HIDES A FEW BLEMISHES ON THIS YEAR’S APPLES.

“AS IT GOT LATER INTO THE SEASON, YOU COULD SEE SOME OF THE APPLES HERE, THEY’RE NOT AS BIG AS THEY SHOULD BE, AND FOR SOME REASON, SOME OF THE APPLES ARE BIGGER THAN THEY NORMALLY WOULD BE.”

THE APPLE SIZES, A WARM FALL AND AN UNUSUALLY LONG WINTER HAVE SOME IN THE FARMING COMMUNITY MUMBLING ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. BUT FOR NOW, LOCALS LIKE SICIGNANO ARE HAPPY ABOUT THE EXTENDED SEASON.

ACROSS THE REGION, PROFITS HAVE BEEN EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH, AND APPLES ARE STILL ON THE VINES.

“AT THIS POINT IN THE SEASON, A LOT OF TIMES WE’RE PICKED OUT, AND WE COULD PROBABLY GO ABOUT THREE OR FOUR MORE WEEKS.”

AND THAT REPRESENTS A SIZEABLE PROFIT BUMP FOR LOCAL FARMERS.

“WE COULD YOU KNOW, 50 PERCENT MORE THAN WE NORMALLY WOULD.”

BUT FARMERS ARE STILL CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT YIELDS LIKE THE 2018 HAUL BECOMING THE NORM. ON WHETHER HE THINKS A REPEAT OF THIS YEAR’S CROP IS IN THE CARDS, WALTERS DIDN’T WANT TO JINX HIS LUCK.

“I’LL LET YOU KNOW NEXT YEAR.”

IN LAFAYETTE, NOAH WOLFE, N-C-C NEWS.

By Noah Wolfe, LAFAYETTE, N.Y. (NCC NEWS)

2018 has been a historically good year for apples in Central New York. The yield has ranged from 20-50 percent higher than normal in certain apple varieties, which in turn has been a financial boon for farmers. The extended season for apple picking, continued production of apple products and opportunities for wholesale will have some in the industry looking at close to record years.

“It’s been a fantastic crop,” said Vic Walters, of Wayside Farms in Wolcott.

The conditions for apple growing were ideal this year, and they were the primary cause of this year’s strong yield.

“It was just a perfect spring,” said Walters. “Just enough rain, a long winter, no freezes that would wipe out the crop.”

To grow apples in a cold weather climate, farmers hope for a few key weather and soil conditions. The winter before picking season must be long and cold, so the established trees stay dormant until temperatures are consistently warm. In spring, there needs to be enough rain and humidity to keep the soil moist, and temperatures must also stay high enough to avoid crop freezes. Even one night of below freezing temperatures can decimate a crop. Throughout the warm months, the weather must stay warm enough to encourage pollination of the plants. The longer into fall the warm weather last, the longer the window is for certain apple varieties to grow and ripen.

But several of these weather aspects are indicative of climate change in the region. According to the New York State Department of Environmental Protection, average temperatures have been on the rise since 1970, year to year precipitation has increased and pollinating bees arrive about 10 days earlier than they did in the 1880’s.

Still, it’s too early for some farmers to point the blame on climate change. Given the unpredictable nature of local crops, some are just taking this year’s results in stride.

“It’s a year to year thing,” said Lafayette Farmer Vinny Sicignano. “It’s too early to tell if crops like these are going to be normal.”

 

LaFayette, N.Y. is home to many apple orchards in Central New York, including the nationally famous Beak and Skiff Orchards.

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