- In 2012, Michigan lost 90% of it's apple crops due to fluctuating temperatures.
- Today, those temperatures are similar and causing some fear among orchards.
- The video shows the current state of the apple trees and how they can be affected in changing temps.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
I'm your neighborhood reporter, Russell Shellberg, here at Phillips Apple Orchard near St. Johns, where farmers are worried that history might repeat itself.
In 2012, Michigan saw drastic temperature changes...
"No fruit grower in Michigan will ever forget that as long as they live," said Brian Phillips. Co-President of Phillips Orchards.
Changes so drastic, 90 percent of the apple crop was destroyed.
"We got frost at a time when it would be totally normal for us to have frost, but we normally wouldn't have bloom. So we lost a massive amount of the apple crop," said Phillips.
Now, this year... recent warm weather brings similar worries.
"We don't really like it, we'd rather have it stay cool longer, so it does start making you remember things back in 2012 that weren't so nice, and we always hope we're not headed down that path again," said Phillips.
Brian says that the loss of crops happens when a bud blooms due to warm weather. When the weather then cools off again, freezing a bloomed bud destroys the fruit. But Brian says he works with what he's given.
"Don't worry about the things you can't control, just worry about the things you can, and make the best out of whatever the weather turns out to be this year," said Phillips.
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