Difficult year for local fruit farmers

Posted at: 08/03/2012 4:29 PM | Updated at: 08/03/2012 5:48 PM
By: Joangel Concepcion | WHEC.com

It's been a difficult year for fruit farmers in our area but now, many are saying they found a temporary solution to save their business this season. One local farmer says despite the damage, there will be fruit this season.

“I'd say this is the most difficult season I've ever seen.” For Martin Schutt, those words were hard to say especially since he says Schutt Farms has never seen a season like this since it opened more than 100 years ago. “We've been going through kind of an interesting year. We've never had this before but we've lost a lot of our fruit here because of our distance from the lake.”

It hasn't exactly been the easiest year for local fruit farmers. Unusual warm temperatures followed by a frost earlier this year killed off many flower buds.

Schutt Farms in Webster lost 90-percent and with very little to salvage, Schutt took matters in to his own hands. “We purchase local apples to make cider and have on our stand.”

Schutt is now working with local farmers. Together they have managed to save their business in a time where they could have easily gone under. “Obviously the whole area has been hurt but the consumer has to understand there will be fruit in this area.”

Shutt says that's exactly what apple lovers need to know. Business may have taken a hit this year but there will be apples and peaches this season. And since the trees were able to rest this year, Schutt says next year looks golden. “We're hoping the consumers understand that everything next year will return back to normal.”

According to the New York Apple Association, the New York Apple Industry produces almost 30-million bushels each year at a value of $300-million but this year the loss is expected to be in the millions.

Have a story you want our news team to investigate? Call us at 585-232-1010, click here to send us an e-mail or leave us a Facebook post or tweet.

Print Story