Lancaster farming. (Lancaster, Pa., etc.) 1955-current, March 14, 1998, Image 24
Farming, Saturday, March 14,1998 Cold Weather Damages Fruit (Conttniwd from Pag* A 1) In 1990, peaches bloomed early on April 8, in Kleiner’s recol lection “the earliest I’ve seen peaches bloom,” he said. However, even though growers “kissed the apricots goodbye” that year, Kleiner said, “some growers had a decent year for the peach crop.” Kleiner sees the same this year. Apricots will be a complete loss, in addition to many plum orchards. But for peaches, the speculation is that Pennsylvania may have some crop, though reports on the nature of die crop won’t be available until next week. And so far, the apple orchards, normally better at with standing temperature drops, still look OK. Depending on geographical location, this week’s dangerously cold overnight temperatures will have effected crops differently. The apricots are past bloom stage and will be “done in” by the cold, according to Tom Becker, York horticulture agent Almost traditionally, peaches can also be hard hit by the cold. When die temperature falls below 23 degrees, about 90 percent of die crop can be killed, according to Becker. But when the temperature plum mets to the teens, as it did this week, widespread devastation can potentially result Benner of El Vista Orchards noted that Wednesday night the temperature dropped to 16 degrees. One grower told him that nearby, the temperature fell to 11 degrees, in a valley. What had Benner worried was that, Wednesday evening, at 10 p.m., the thermometer read 19 degrees already too cold for peaches, depending on their state of bloom. As for apple crops, depending on location, the some of the crop could be adversely affected, though many varieties are cold resistant Emit growers are staying quiet, noted Becker. York horticulture agent Many have assumed a “wait and see” attitude about the effects of the brutal cold on the crops. Becker doesn’t remember see ing a year like this in his career as a horticulturalist Becker has never seen temperatures that descended “this low, this late,” he noted. For flower enthusiasts, many of LONG DISTANCE PHONE SERVICE ONLY 6.9 cents a minute • to 9.9. cents for all toll calls 24 hrs/day 7 days a week For business and residential 1+ and 800/888 calls Rates vary depending in which state you’re located • NO Prepayment • 18/6 second Increment Billing • Monthly Billing • Account Codes with individual • NO Access Codes billing for community phones Low Foreign Rates - Canada from 12.9 cents Pre-Raid Phone Cards only 15.9 cpm. NO surcharge. These rechargeable cards are activated and ready to use. Call anywhere in the world. Send $2 plus the amount of time. Use check or Visa, Master Card or Discover credit card to order as many cards as needed and to recharge. Tel-Com Phone Services 539 Hilltop Rd. Myerstown, Pa. 17067 For more information call 717-866-6520 or 800-779-7729 Part floras or full time sales people wanted. the $50,000 annual Income plan Customers cut your bill to zero with our referral plan die blooming daffodils were also destroyed by die cold because of stalk and flower freezes. Covering diem simply is not enough. Many growers added a mulch layer, at least, to protect the bulbs from freeze damage. But for outside garden areas, many areas have experienced a complete loss, especially in the southeastern part of the state, which in many cases is “three to four weeks ahead of schedule or more,” noted Becker. Many growers won’t know the frill extent of the damage until end of April and early May, according to Kleiner, regional fruit specialist. In any cold spell, the buds furth er out on the branches can be hard est hit, as well as the weaker buds. Buds closer to the tree have a high er survivability. Kleiner noted that, because of die heaviness of cold air, growers know to locate fruit trees on ridges. Orchard location is key. Trees in basins can fall prey to severe cold. However, the cold was widespread throughout the region with high winds, in many cases, which could have a large-scale impact on crops, according to growers. Lately, there have been a lot more frosts that concern the fruit specialists. Where frosts and freezes were noted severe every 1 year in 10, growers have had three years in the past five to warrant concern, according to Kleiner. In the case of the Adams County orchardist, speed of discoloration is reladve to the heat of the day. In other words, the cold damage to the buds of peaches won’t be evi dent until a few days of wanner temperatures pass by. And with temperatures drop ping below 25 for several days, growers can do nothing to stop the damage to die crop. “I can make no business deci sion on how good or how bad it affected me until the weekend,” said Benner. Benner warned that any grower who “cries wolf and claims they are wiped out” is not being honest They need to take time on warmer days to look at the actual damage. The only thing growers can do is “sit there and pray,” Kleiner, reg ional fruit specialist said. Fruit growers in Georgia, Ala bama, South Carolina, and North Carolina where the peach fruit was in bloom were devastated by the killing cold, according to National Letter Writing Campaign Launched To Save Valuable Pesticides (Continued from Pad* *1) reassessment process are critical, Vroom points out, because they can result in restriction or cancel lation of the use of a specific pesti cide on certain oops. Organophosphates, First To Be Evaluated Carbamates Next EPA says it will first reassess organophosphates (OPS), valued insecticides used to control an ex tensive array of crop pests. This widely used crop protection class includes chhxpyrifos (Dursban), azinphos methyl (Guthion), disul foton (Disyston), malathion, para thion, diarinon, and acephate (Or thene). Hie OPs are used on some 64 million acres of the nation’s farmland and have been the main line of defense against crop loss to insects for 40 years, Vroom says. A second widely used class of insecticides, carbamates, is soon to follow on EPA’s reassessment list This group, used to protect a range of crops from apples and cotton to peanuts, potatoes and soybeans, includes such products as Temik, Sevin, Furadan, Carzol, Lannate, Vydate and Larvin. Rush To Judgment Vroom notes that industry and agriculture accepted FQPA when passed hurriedly in late 1996. “Wc supported many of its provisions.” he says, “because the act’s funda mentals are ones to which my in dustry has long subscribed hu man health and safety, extra mar gins of safety for children. Its requirements are strict, but achievable, if EPA rather than a rush to judgment on many of the essential pesticides growers need for profitable farming takes time to allow development of needed scientific data and me thods to meet FQPA require ments. "Then,” Vroom adds, “re gulatory decisions can be based on well-conceived, uniform and prac tical policies rather than highly exaggerated estimates. Right now. that is not being done.” media reports. What effects this will have on peach supplies for the Mid-Atlantic are hard to determine. As for the mild winter in Pen nsylvania. many suspected that a cold-down was inevitable. Said York horticulture agent Tom Becker, “We knew it would have to catch up to us sometime.” Let Schnupp's Grain Roasting Your Moldy Corn! • Flame Roasting Kills the Molds Present in Corn • Flame Roasting Will Reduce Toxins to Safe Levels • Flame Roasting Will Remove Odor and Increase S~' Payability. X Tho “ a ™“ sted really tasty Instead, the agency appears to be setting pesticide tolerances (the amount of a pesticide’s residue al lowed on or in a harvested crop) based on theoretical estimates, or defaults, in cases where data based on actual use is not yet available. EPA’s rationale is that it must meet the short deadlines imposed by FQPA, Vroom says. But, con gressional mandates under FQPA can be met without undue risk to farm and consumer use. Farmer and grower pest control products need not be placed in jeopardy. Farmers Urged To Act Now A concerned, vocal agriculture is essential to preserve needed crop protection products within farmers’ arsenals. Vroom urges farmers: “Contact your com Jr, Holstein Embryo Sale STATE COLLEGE (Centre Co.) —The Pennsylvania Junior Hol stein Association will sponsor an Embryo Sale as part of the Pennsyl vania Showcase Sale on Thursday. March 26, at 7 pjn. at the Farm Show Building - Small Arena, Harrisburg. The Junior Association wants to publicly thank the 11 breeders who have donated an embryo to support our Junior Activities in Pennsylvania. The breeders and embryos are as follows: 1) Ed & Glen Brake. Mcrccrsburg Manifined x Oakleigh Mascot Heather VG-8S +7 IP 3.00 330 d 29,580 5.6 1652 3 2 1000 2) Bovine Boutique, Elizabethtown Mascot x CMV MeUwood Millie VG-88 3- 365 34,980 4.2 1456 3.2 1104. 3) James A Nina Burdette, Mcrccrsburg Counselor x Windy-Knoll-View Ultimate Pala EX 94-2 E 5- 365 27,970 4.5 1267 3.3 932 4) Emily Cloninger, Centre Hall South wind x Andacres Matt JR Annamae EX-90 6- 305 25,020 3.2 796 2.9 731 5) Alice & John Foster Jr., Petersburg Counselor x Globe-Run Sexy Darlene EX-93-4E 8-01 365 35,980 4.1 1492 3.2 1149 6) Jim A Kim Grove, Petersburg Counselor x Beaver-Crest Starbuck Jo EX-90-2E 4- 36Sd 25.760 4.3 1111 3.6 930 7) Paul Hartlc, Bellefonte Wade x Mammoth-Spring Miss America EX-94-2E 5- 305 29,940 3.8 1124 2.8 833 8) Hillside Farms Inc., Shavertown Final Score x Beachlawn Tam CH Valiant-ET VG-87 +69P 2-00 305 proj. 26.151 809 947 9) Tara Kocher, Mifflin town Roybrook Vintage x Ore Farm Avenger Jill VG-87 4-07 305 17,270 4.6 786 3.3 578 10) Rick Wadel, Shippcnsbuig Formation x Wa-Del RC Blacks tar Mary-ET EX-90-2E 4- 365 30,556 3.6 1109 3.1 938 11) Elizabeth Walton, Carlisle Lin jet x Fountain Farm Lead Emblem VG-87 5- 365 33,820 3.3 1106 3.1 1055 We would appreciate your support in purchasing one or mote of these embryos on March 26. All hinds raised will go to support Junior Activities for the 2,000 Junior mem ben in Pennsylvania. MOLDY CORN? modify organization about your concern, then your member of Congress, EPA and The While House. Tell them to help save the pesticides you need to protect your crop and your farm income. Insist that science, not politics, be followed in implementing the Food Quality Protection Act Vroom concludes, “When the law is carried out the way Con gress intended, the consumer wins, the farmer wins and Ameri ca's agricultural productivity is not placed in jeopardy.” For more information on helping save needed crop pesti cides, or about the Food Quality Act access ACPA website http://wwwjrcpa.org/. SAVE SCHNUPP’S lAIN ROASTING > - Box 840, Lebanon, PA 17046 865-6611 Fax #865-7334 800-452-4004 I. GROFF, RD #3 Lewisburg, PA 717-568-1420