Local orchards prep as temps expected to drop overnight

HVNY News + Notes

Apr 20

Written By HVNY

Helicopters, burning hay bales at the ready to help protect young buds and blooms on regional fruit crops

Orchards across the Hudson Valley are warning nearby neighbors that they will be out late– some with helicopters – to help protect this year’s local fruit crops as temperatures drop to near-record lows overnight.

According to the National Weather Service, lows may reach 26-degrees in Poughkeepsie early Tuesday morning before warming up to the low-50s during the day. A freeze warning is in effect for parts of the Hudson Valley – Putnam, Rockland, Westchester and Orange counties – from midnight on Monday through 9am on Tuesday.

To help mitigate freeze damage to sensitive spring buds and blossoms, Barton Orchards in Poughquag said they will be burning round bales of hay and using wind machines to push the warm air around the crop. Neighbors may smell smoke as a result Monday night into Tuesday morning.

Weed Family Orchards in Marlboro will also be warming their crop – using a helicopter. “We will be working through the night to safeguard our peach and apple blossoms,” staff said. The helicopter is expected to fly over the orchard between 2:30am and 6:30am. “We understand the noise may be an inconvenience and we sincerely appreciate your patience, understanding, and support as we work to protect the harvest for the season ahead.”

Fishkill Farms also said they would be using helicopters and orchard heaters to circulate warmer air around the orchard. The helicopter is expected to operate between 2am and 7am, according to Fishkill Farms staff.

If those 70-plus-degree temperatures had you planting in your own garden last week, make sure to bring in any potted plants, and cover any sensitive vegetation – a bedsheet works great as lightweight protection – from Monday night into Tuesday morning.

Temperatures are expected to steady with highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s through the rest of the week, according to the National Weather Service. (Their words: “The cooler regime is short-lived.”)