At Johnny Appleseed’s Farm in Ellington, dozens of apples lay on the ground.
“They call it a frost ring,” said Johnny Appleseed’s Farm owner Ken Shores, describing the damage to the apples.
A spring freeze in May damaged 20 acres of apple orchards and an additional 20 acres of peach trees.
“Even when you have a full crop, sometimes if you have a frost during the spring bloom, or shortly after the bloom, you will get this perforated area around the tree where the frost actually froze the fruit when it was little,” Shores said.
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Shores said because of the extensive damage to the fruit, the farm won’t be able to offer "pick-your-own" operations this fall, which normally runs from September to October.
“We never lost everything like this. We’ve lost a part of the crop or some variety, there is always some form of disaster every year,” Shores said.
Both farm stands in Ellington and Tolland will remain open for business during the fall. Shores said he was able to bring in apples from Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.
“There is a light crop everywhere, but it hasn’t been easy,” Shores said.
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"It’s disheartening what the farmers have to go through,” customer Bernice Roy said. “I come here, especially this season, since they have lost their peach and apple crop. I love their tomatoes and all their produce. It’s awesome to support our local businesses."
