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Why the 2026 Season is the Perfect Time to Visit

Cultivating Hope After a Spring Curveball

Fruit farming is a tricky business. Much (if not all) of what we do depends on the cooperation of – and response to – our steadfast business partner: Mother Nature. Despite all the planning and care that goes into each season of growing and producing fruit here in Ohio, nature has other plans.

After an incredibly abundant stone fruit and apple crop in 2025, we entered the Spring of 2026 feeling hopeful. Early signs looked encouraging as warmer temperatures brought our trees out of dormancy and beautiful blooms began appearing throughout the orchards (albeit cooler and wetter than usual).

However, after several warm days in April (during our farms critical three to five day bloom cycle), the overnight temperatures (on April 8th specifically), suddenly dropped and freezing conditions moved in. In these conditions when temperatures dip too low during bloom, significant damage to the stone fruit buds occur and they are unable to survive. This taste of Mother Nature occurred not only at our farm, but most fruit farms across the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic.

There are techniques much larger operations use during freeze events to help protect crops, such as wind machines, helicopters that circulate warm air, or heating systems throughout orchard rows. Unfortunately, expensive and intense logistical solutions like these are often out of reach for smaller farms like ours.

Ben’s anxious conscious was tamed only by his efforts to bring warmth into the orchards (via large brush fires) at the coldest hour of the day (roughly an hour before sunrise), despite this effort “actually” making a difference. At the very least, he was able to demonstrate his resilient dedication and passion for this work….by showing this to the fourth generation (Bea and Tuckie arrived home that evening covered with smoke and soot).

After the dust settled (literally), we were able to confirm that our Ohio stone fruit crop (cherries and peaches) and some of our Ohio apple crops experienced significant frost damage and crop loss. We are not alone. Similar damage occurred in small – and large orchards across the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions (including the states of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Virginia).

While it’s disappointing, farming also teaches patience, resilience, and hope. We’ll continue doing everything we can to care for our crops and look ahead to future harvests.

The good news is that the apple crop still looks strong, the Market Barn is fully stocked, the Winery is open, and Events are still happening! Check out more details on what to expect in 2026 here:

Pick Your Own Update

  • Cherries were heavily impacted and there will unfortunately be no Pick Your Own this season.
  • Limited raspberry picking is expected in late June and early July.
  • Peaches were also heavily impacted this year, but we will have limited Pick Your Own Workshops – more info to come soon.
  • If the deer cooperate this year, we hope to offer Pick Your Own sunflowers in September.
  • Our apple crop is looking promising and we’re hopeful for plenty of Pick Your Own opportunities this fall!

More Ways to Support Quarry Hill this Season

While this season may look a little different than usual with limited pick your own opportunities, there are still so many great ways to experience Quarry Hill!

Our Market Barn will still be open and stocked with everything we can harvest, along with local favorites like honey, provisions, fresh produce, and more. We have so many other ways to enjoy the farm and support local agriculture, too!

  • BRING THE CREW TO OUR SEASONAL EVENTS
    Join us for one of our many seasonal festivals and experiences throughout the year! From family-friendly activities and live music to workshops, local vendors, and special traditions at the farm, there’s always something new to discover.

    Celebrate with us this year at our TEN YEAR anniversary of Apple Peak on October 10th (10 years on 10/10…pretty fun, right?!). We’re planning a special celebration that will take you on a walk through the history of our farm and we hope you’ll help us make it one to remember.
  • COOL DOWN WITH QUARRY CONES REAL FRUIT ICE CREAM
    Our hand-swirled real fruit ice cream combines fresh fruit with creamy Mitchell’s vanilla ice cream for the perfect seasonal treat.

    Open during the season Friday–Sunday | 12pm–6pm
  • KICK BACK AT QUARRY HILL WINERY
    Our winery is open year-round and offers seasonal wine selections, shareable food items, sandwiches, cheese boards, and more. Join us for local live music every Friday and Saturday evening, or explore one of our special tasting events and workshops.
  • SHOP THE MARKET BARN
    The Market Barn will be stocked with seasonal favorites and fresh finds beginning late June. Browse local honey, produce, pantry provisions, gifts, and all the little things that make a trip to Quarry Hill special.

    Check here for our seasonal hours.
  • SHOP OUR ONLINE STORE
    Can’t make it out to the farm? Our online store is the virtual gateway to Quarry Hill and includes event tickets, experiences, digital gift cards, and seasonal offerings throughout the year.

    During the holidays, keep an eye out for our fresh apple gift boxes to send to friends, family, coworkers, and customers!
  • BOOK A GROUP TOUR
    Bring your group to our farm for hands-on educational experience! Our seasonal tours are curated to your crew and are perfect for school groups, summer camps, scout troops, corporate teams, large families and more!
  • NEW QUARRY HILL MERCH
    We’ve added new Quarry Hill apparel and merchandise this season to the Market Barn, including t-shirts, hats, and totes. We’re excited to continue growing our collection and would love to see Quarry Hill out and about in the community! Stop by to pick up some new Quarry Hill gear!
  • NEW PICNICS AT THE FARM
    Reserve a chef prepared, gourmet lunch to enjoy on the farm! Select dates available. See more details here.

This is the year to shop local

Seasons like this are a reminder of how much much local farms rely on community support. We know we aren’t the only farm navigating challenges this year, and we stand alongside the many growers facing similar circumstances. We are beyond thankful for the support in our own community and appreciate it now more than ever.

If you’ve been thinking about visiting Quarry Hill this year, we’d love to see you. Every visit, scoop of ice cream, bottle of wine, and market purchase helps support local agriculture. We can’t wait to see everyone this season at the farm – this is the year to shop local!

Apple Crisp with Dorothy and Sam

Dishing with Dorothy: Apple Crisp

It’s the time of year again where the leaves are crunching under our feet, the traffic has slowed here at the Market Barn, and we are prepping desserts for our Thanksgiving feast.

Intentionally, those very special desserts that have been passed down from one generation to the next; recipes we hold near and dear to our heart as we recall memories of time spent in the kitchen with loved ones; those that shape our traditions during this holiday of thanks.

This past month I got the chance to visit my new friend Dorothy Pelanda (Director of Ohio Department of Agriculture) and her husband Sam Gerhardstein at their beautiful family farm, “Wyndanwood”. In celebration of National Apple Month, we prepared an Apple Crisp recipe that had been passed down for generations in Sam’s family.

Dorothy and I “dished” about apples, apple growing, cutting and peeling techniques, how to safely include the children, and the importance of using local ingredients (especially sourcing local apples from local orchards – find an orchard near you at www.ohioapples.com).

I also really enjoyed learning about Sam’s fond memories of time spent in the kitchen with his Grandmother Irene (where this recipe hails from), as well as his family orchard (Golden Hill) which solidified our friendship as fellow fruit growers (there is a small fraternity of us left…..).

Not only did I get to enjoy a delicious desert, but I got to spend time amongst wonderful people in one of my favorite environments (the kitchen!). We’re already plotting what to make next year. 

Thank you Sam and Dorothy for sharing your home and family tradition with all of us! During filming, we used Granny Smith, but the Mutzu apple is the preferred variety for this recipe.

The Mutzu apple comes late in season (approximate harvest date at Quarry Hill for Mutzu is Oct. 15th) just in time for all your holiday baking needs. Mutsu apples are a cross between Golden Delicious and Indo (a Japanese cultivar). Mutsu are a smooth yellow/green apple that is firm and crisp. The white flesh has a flavor of honey that is juicy and sweet-tart with a tanginess. This apple is a terrific dessert apple and can be used for baking, cooking, and saucing. Add Mutsu to your pies, cobblers, muffins or breads. Mutsu are excellent keepers and sweeten with age.

APPLE CRISP

Ingredients:

  •  6-8 Mutzu apples (Granny Smith is a good alternative if Mutzu is not available)
  •  ½ tsp. salt
  •  ½ cup orange juice
  •  ½ tsp. cinnamon 
  •  ¼ cup sugar (white)

Method:

Peel, core, and thinly slice apples (6-8 medium apples) and layer evenly into a seven inch square baking dish. Sprinkle with ½ tsp. salt, ½ cup orange juice, ½ tsp. cinnamon, and ¼ cup sugar (white). Try a variation of equal parts white and brown sugar if desired! 

Then in a separate bowl mix 1 cup sugar (white), ½ cup butter, and ¾ cup flour. This will be your crumble toping. Butter must be softened by room temperature, not heated or melted. Use a fork and mix until you get your desired size of crumble.

“Crumble” above ingredients evenly on top of the sliced apple mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until apples are tender!

Remove promptly on a trivet, and serve with a scoop of real vanilla ice cream on top. ENJOY!  

Ohio Department of Agriculture Socials

Grammy Fran’s German Apple Cake

BROOKE’S BULLETIN

September 2021

A delicious and favorite family recipe from Brooke’s Grammy Frances Evelyn (her paternal grandmother).

Join me (Brooke Gammie) and Jen Picciano from Channel 19 news “Cleveland Cooks” as we share one of my favorite family recipes using our homegrown apples. You can view the full segment and recipe here, or follow along below.

Grammy’s legacy lives with me in aiming to add beauty in everyday life; drink from your special wine glasses on an average day; always have fresh flowers in your kitchen; wear a beautiful dress and lip-gloss when you’re hanging around the house; and use a beautiful baking dish and quality fresh ingredients for everyday meals, even when you’re not entertaining (which Grammy did to the nines!!!). Enjoy the beauty in all you do. Thank you Grammy!! I love you!!

Quarry Hill Orchards German Apple Cake

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup oil (preferably coconut)
  • 4 farm fresh eggs
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. real vanilla
  • 4 cups peeled and chopped apples, (suggested varieties: Quarry Hill Orchards Golden Supreme and Crimson Crisp)
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)
  • 1 cup golden raisins (optional)

Method:

Mix the oil, beaten eggs and sugar. Add the dry ingredients. Fold in the apples, walnuts and raisins. Bake at 350*, in a greased loaf pan, for 50-60 minutes. Let cool, slice, and sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.

Optional frosting recipe to top baked cake:

  • 8 oz. cream cheese
  • ½ stick of butter
  • 2 cups powders sugar
  • ½ tsp. vanilla

The Sun Also Rises

BILL’S ANNUAL SUMMER NEWSLETTER

June 4, 2020

We’re fortunate.  We can yield to our outdoors for calm and comfort.  Morning always seems to start out groggy unlike Hudson and Walter who jump to attention with the urge to eat and be stroked.  Walker and I amble up the rise to the West toward the stone house.  The sun glistens off the West roof after another shower.  

I scrutinize the first flowers (they suffered only minor stings from the 4th frost at dawn) of a three year old apple planting of Northern Spy, Pippin, Pixie Crunch, Pink Pearl, and other oddities that only a gambler would attempt.  Walter munches grass along the way before we cross the road to the barn. 

It is a wonder how green the world has become after prolonged gloom and cold.  

Read more here…

Join our mailing list to receive a hard copy of our Summer Newsletter next year!

A High Season Thursday at 12:42am

tractorBEN’S BULLETIN

September 21, 2018 – 12:42 am

An email from Ben to his best pals, regarding his RSVP to his 40th birthday party in February 2019……. 

Gents-

So the sun has long since set here at the farm.  Its just me and the dogs here in the barn office.  Harvest is in full swing… the Gala crop has been picked.  Honeycrisp will be wrapped up by next week.  I usually end the day lining up our wholesale delivery trucks for tomorrow’s routes (that… along with a beer or two and a 3-minute break for a small cat nap on the desk…..). We’ll have 3 drivers rollin’ tomorrow AM.  With good weather leading into the weekend, we should see strong retail sales and plenty of folks coming out to pick their own apples.  All in all, the crop is looking good.  We will finally see good returns off of the trees Dad and I planted the first year I moved home.  Production should be the highest since my coming back.  Quality yet to be determined…

It is far too frequent during this time of year that I get swept up in the hustle of harvest.  This life Brooke and I have chosen has challenged us far beyond what I could have imagined.  Many-a-day I question whether my shoulders are broad enough to keep this thing going.  There is a constant juggle between managing a payroll of 35+ people, forecasting farm profitability (or lack thereof), making harvest & sales decisions… all while driving the forklift around our packhouse like a mad man.  I miss my wife.  I miss my kids.  I long for the tranquility of farm life that was the picture I painted for Brooke so many years ago.  But I don’t think tranquility is my nature.   

It is in these moments that leaving Austin, Texas seemed like a damned foolish idea.  Maybe because its human nature to look fondly on the past.  Maybe because I found confidence in engineering that just isn’t part of farming with Mother Nature.  Maybe because the co-workers I met in that town have turned out to be the most meaningful life-long friends.  For that last reason, this trip is gonna be epic.  I absolutely can’t wait to strap some boards on my feet and earn my turns in some of that fine “Champagne Powder” of Route County, Colorado!  After I help my wife settle into life with new baby #4 and life as a family of six – I’ll be on the plane headed Westbound to play hard.  See you Gents then.                                                                                                         -Ben-

 

The Return

A soggy week.  In an invigorating side step to progress.  Rainy days are cathartic; they break the routine, give pause, prepare us for renewal.  A few stoic “wild” dogwoods peek from the tree line by the old Bailey quarry.  While once prolific, the numbers have decreased in the last twenty years.  Jacque, Adrianne, Brooke and Bill’s mom count them as favorites…for their bloom orders a sense of reassurance in the seasons of life.   

Upon Brooke and Ben’s departure from Arizona and trek to Ohio they posted “Change is good” – a positive challenge to an entrenched older generation.  Bill’s Dad once lamented that people don’t change (he might qualify that today).  Donald Trump declared last week that the future belongs to the dreamers.  Depending on your opinion of our new president, that can be interpreted as illusionary or reactionary or encouraging or confusing, regardless it implies change. 

All of us and all of you know it is a constant, but how we cope with the feeling that our precious attention and exhausting behaviors is being blown downwind like this weeks apple blossoms is the hurdle.  Hope, anticipation and kids are salves for this affliction.  Kids are the best. 

Arra (1-1/2 years), Adrianne and Tom’s daughter can indeed, eat soup with fingers and giggles.  Payton (6) can scoot across a ball field (and a keyboard) as nimbly as her mom can negotiate three urchins and an overworked husband.  Henry (4) asserted himself during an afternoon read with Gigi.  A hallway noise made him bellow “show yourself!”  That protective urge will endure?  Baby Beatrice (6 mo.) softens us with her quiet smile.  Despite being born deaf seldom has a child seemed more content and eager.

How do we interpret the past, check the moment and investigate the future and at the same time give credit to everyone’s ability to adapt?  We just do it with the whole spectrum of emotion.  One truth in the confusion of the demands of time, money, and especially relationships is a May morning.  The first step outside unlocks magic.  There exists a brief inner feeling of order and rightness.  It may or may not endure.

Our family is in flux.  Adrianne and Arra have returned to Ohio and Tom from Toronto every other weekend.  Their plans to relocate to Michigan are alive, but Adrianne’s passion to grow cut flowers in Berlin Township has been fueled.

Brooke and Ben and kids have assumed so much of the farm’s demands and expectations that their time is always squeezed.  Jacque negotiates the parade of family activities and friendships and Bill naps in the tractor and relishes the kid spurts.

It has been proclaimed that “In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments; there are only consequences.”  That thought can be argued for this year we have a promising crop of peaches for the first time in four seasons.  We are energized to renew our friendship with you.  Here’s the plan:

June 15                    First Cherries

July 15-20                First Peaches (cling stone); apricots lost to frost

July 10                      First apples (Lodi)

August 5                   Zestar apples

August 10-20            Red Haven peaches

August 25-30            First white peaches and nectarines

August 26                  Ice Cream Social

September 2-30         Plums

Sept. 10 – Nov. 25     Pears

September 1               First cider

September 5-10          First Gala and Honeycrisp PICK YOUR OWN

October 7-8                Antique Tractor Show

October 15                 Apple Peak Fall Gathering

October 15-20            Cameo & Fuji, Pumpkins

Oct. 30 – Nov. 25       Pink Lady & Goldrush

 

 

 

EAST MEETS WEST APPLESAUCE

apple_7237 (2) (800x692)BROOKE’S BULLETIN

October 2016

A seasonal recipe and narrative from our loyal and long-time (25-years) customer Brenda Glasure

“Thank you to all the people who keep spaces, converted pole barns and haywagon harvests. Thank you to the growers and risk-takers, rolling the dice with the wind, the hail, ice, water – or lack thereof. Putting in the work; believing in the work. You nourish us, body and soul. I feel a vast contentment, buying a bushel of apples that grew on trees I have met.”

East Meets West Applesauce, from the kitchen of Brenda Glasure

  • Peel, core and slice about 25 apples. I like to use one variety that completely breaks down with cooking and one variety that tends to keep it’s shape. Today, I used Fuji and Crimson Crisp.
  • Place the prepared apples in a large, heavy pot. I add about 1 cup of water or cider, if you have it. Cover and cook on low heat until the apples break down and become *saucy*. Cook down to your liking. We like our applesauce thick, so I cook for a little over an hour.
  • Add about ¼ teaspoon of salt, ½ cup of brown sugar (this is completely optional. I don’t generally sweeten our sauce, but it is a great addition if you like your sauce as a sweet dessert.)
  • Add ½ to 1 tablespoon Garam Masala to taste (recipe follows)

Garam Masala Mix:

1 tablespoon cumin

1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander

1 ½ teaspoons ground cardamom

1 ½ to 2 teaspoons ground black pepper

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoons ground cloves

½ teaspoons ground nutmeg

Mix all together.  You can purchase this mix already made from various companies. I like to make my own as I like it heavier on the black pepper and cinnamon.   ENJOY!

My grandparents had a dairy farm, a mighty Ohio spread, measuring nearly 180 acres in Champaign County. I spent quite a bit of time there while growing up. Farms are not easy. There was always work to be done. Besides the crops and the milking of the cows, there was often food to be harvested, canned, frozen; meals to be cooked. The lessons were simple, primal and deep; lessons of nourishing the people and animals who lived there. From seed to plant, from bloom to fruit, from fruit to harvest, to the kitchen, to the table. Buying fresh and direct from farmers is natural and right to me.

So it begins – the day after buying apples at Quarry Hill – the order of things – putting food by. After a good scrubbing, the apples are divided. Plenty of the bright, snappy fruit will be munched fresh from the fridge. But with a nod to the icy days to come, at least one big batch of apples (usually about 40-50) are peeled, sliced and cooked down with some spices. The homemade apple sauce is unbelievably delicious on cold winter nights, alongside a bowl of hot soup. It reminds us of sunny days and renews a reverence for the vitality the earth provides.

Applesauce – I cook in batches of about 25 apples. I will spice them with either cinnamon, ginger, mace or an Indian spice mix called Garam Masala, which includes black pepper and coriander with cinnamon and ginger and various other spices. Both variations are absolutely delicious. Freeze the sauce in Ziplocs or freezer containers to be meted out for holiday dinners and cold days when you just need a little sunshine.

— Brenda Glasure

Growth and Gratitude

Blue sky emerged today. The long shadows of the days beginning from the loping locust of yard
trees oversees the growing world. A pair of geese are guarding their goslings from a barking Walter
in the quarry behind the house. Spring seldom seemed a reality, but now the greening will leap at us.

The lingering earthy scent of newly turned soil is brief compared to other eras yet it streams over us encouraging to quicken the pace. Yet we pause, outside can wait. A last flurry defies the calendar.

Our family like yours, is evolving. Adrianne, Tom and all of us have rejoiced in the birth of their daughter Arra Kirana last July. the image of Adrianne now is one with their child in arms, seldom separated and is both joyful and trying. We have to admire her saucy approach in reaching perfection that radiates from her mother and grandmother. Arra will easily recognize her family’s love. Their sojourn to Tom’s home in Indonesia was once one of the perseverance, but balanced by the glee of tom’s mom and dad clutching their new grandchild for the first time.

Brooke, Ben, Payton, and Henry have nurtured an uplifting closeness. “Mommy, Mommy!, Daddy, Daddy!” – when separated for only a brief time they run to their partents, filled with laughter and arms open to gather in a hug or leg. that ritual delights “Gigi” & “Popi Bill” as little else can. But they do tax our limits. Anticipation is a great motivator for ensuring a family’s joy for one another. This fall we will revel in the glory of the birth of their third child. How can a full, hectic day find room for a new life? It just does.

Through the kindness of Cathy and Sparky Weilnau we were able to escape to Sanibel for a brief refreshing interlude. Grey there, grey here gives rise to the regeneration for the greening of Ohio.

Like the young saplings planted last week there is a basic need to grow. To nurture is a way of life for those who encourage.

And the farm, flux is always the constant for you and me. Spring cold, lack of hardening off in Fall’s warmth, gray skies during bloom, but there will be crops to harvest. A few cherries in mid June will announce the season, but it appears now that maturity will be later than usual.

On Parsnip Yogurt and Sous Vide Pig

WILLIAM’S BULLETIN

Our apprentice farmer William attended the Young Farmers Conference at Stone Barns last week. This is the first of his reports of what he learned there. Stay tuned for more!

All conferences start with Power-Point platitudes, a badge, and a folder of printouts. The Stone Barns Young Farmers Conference was no different: “We’re not growing food, we’re perfecting people.” Perfection? To me, we were already there: Blundstone-clad and dirty-nailed, shorthaired girls and nose-ringed boys, plaidded and scarved, iPhones in Carhartt pockets. We talked about low-delta-T herbicide application and monetizing our CSA Instagram feeds. Two-ply versus one-ply greenhouses and kiwiberries. Invasive species and whether to treat beehives with linseed oil or low VOC paint (admittedly, this was my question).

We talked about small ideas and big ideas, the minutiae of farming and the grandeur of food, and that’s what made the YFC so dizzying, so exciting, and so exhausting, like juggling a bowling ball and a handful of organic, local chestnuts. Are young farmers going to change the world? Probably, but first they have a few emails to write, a grant to edit, that podcast interview to do, and the arugula has to get covered before the frost tonight.

When you look at a farm, what do you see? Self sufficiency. A happy homestead, its own planet spinning from day to night to day, soil to plant to soil. Ranchers say they’re grass farmers; the cow just a caloric layover between the energy in a grass blade and the energy, one life cycle later, in another. A farm like Stone Barns is a unique kind of microcosm. On the menu that night was a farm-raised pork chop sous vide cooked in a water bath heated by compost.

And so, we Young Farmers grow food, but not just any food. Bloomsdale spinach and Western Front kale. Tunisian sheep and Honeynut squash. “Do you grow GoldRush?” a girl asked when I mentioned the orchard. That’s a warm-honey-sweet, late-season beauty even I had never heard of until I started working here. Our Day One Breakfast was yogurt, but not just any yogurt. “I didn’t know what to expect with parsnip flavor, but it’s pretty good,” my friend said, digging into her cup. “The other choice was tomato.”

The night I arrived, before the conference started, dinner was a choice between the hotel’s greasy ceasar salad and the grocery store next door, so I crossed the parking lot fields. Inside, I bumped baskets with a kindred spirit, both ours overflowing with greenery and wholeness, we nodded, invasives in a monoculture.

And that’s the Young Farmer. When you look from a farm, it’s a different story. You see the unperfected world beyond. Factory farms see acres and acres of more of the same, almond trees within and without, an orchard the size of Rhode Island. Our small farms see the east side of Pittsburgh, maybe, or Brooklyn rooftops, or other farms, or parking lots, or houses, or, if you’re lucky to be on Quarry Hill, the tangled woods of the Erie County MetroParks.

You see, in other words, the world. Conferences can feel insular, their own self-sufficient organisms. The worst are feedback loops; the best are supportive. The life-changing are something more: they reach beyond, from their dirt to the sky, from small actions to big changes. As Steinbeck wrote in his personal motto: Ad astra per alas porci. “To the stars on the wings of a (heritage, local, compost-sous-vide-cooked) pig.”

Farm Report – From the Lens of an Orchard Guy

tractorBEN’S BULLETIN

July 2015

Impactful interactions, special stories, and tractor talk from Farmer Ben 

This winter was again a set-back for those farmers growing stone fruit (cherries, apricots, plums, peaches, nectarines).  The deep cold of early January froze out some of the buds.  Our cherry crop came through at around 75% of a crop.  We will be lucky to harvest 50% of the total yield potential from our peaches.

And then came spring… no late frosts, which is good… except we were fairly dry for about 3 weeks.  Not much rain to speak of for most of May.  Some of our new tree plantings suffered as a result.  But… wait for it… rain… in amounts unseen in 40 years according to my Dad.  The month of June was arguably the wettest on our farm since my Dad began farming…. Over 16 inches of total rainfall.  Orchards by and large are resilient to those amounts of rain.  We would much rather have rain than not.  Our tree root system established enough to endure and our sandy soils help drain water downstream and away from our orchards which have been strategically located on higher ground.  There are two negative effects to all this rain:

Our chBrooke Cherrieserry crop, already compromised from the winter, was again negatively affected in that a tree takes up too much water and distributes it to the fruit such that the flesh of a cherry grows faster than the skin and the skin cracks and splits horribly.  The crop will end up picking out at around 40%… finishing this weekend.

The peaches, especially early varieties, also have a tendency to split with the uptake of excess moisture.  There is also a potential for a less than ideal flavor since the sugars are not as concentrated in a tree that has been drinking a lot of water.  But we are blessed with peaches and that in itself is cause for celebration. First Peaches 2015 

The apple tree is perhaps the most resilient critter we have on the farm.  Those trees will take a drink whenever they can and just give us larger fruit.  In fact, the crop is shaping up to be potentially larger than last year’s harvest.  It appears that the entire country will be maximizing yields this year as well.  I will get a better handle on other parts of the country when I go to Chicago in August for an annual apple production summit hosted by U.S.Apple. 

As far as other crops are concerned… I know the sweetcorn harvest has been pushed at least a week and some fields are compromised because of standing water; the June rains completely wiped out some strawberry harvests.  The row-crop guys… that’s corn and beans… will hopefully have enough time through the rest of the summer to get some hot, dry weather to promote strong cropping. 

And this rain and cool temperatures are also feeding my lovely wife’s skepticism about any normalcy to weather in this part of the country.  Being from Phoenix… she is a bit concerned that her flip-flops and tank tops are not getting enough use.  Instead it’s her raincoat and sweaters.  She hears my Dad and I talk about “ The coldest winter since… blah, blah, blah” and “We haven’t had this much rain in… blah, blah, blah”.  The newest addition to our family, our new pup HUDSON fills our home with love, joy, and little more chaos to keep our lives full.  2015-07-03 17.28.54

Milestones this summer will include the weekend of July 18th as the first official weekend we will have homegrown peaches in over two years (no small accomplishment).  Freestone peach varieties, including Red Haven, will be starting around the 2nd weekend in August.  The first good apples, Gala, will come off the trees by the last weekend in August.