How is the Drought Impacting the Apple Harvest in Western Mass?

WWLP, September 1, 2016. 

We’re less than three weeks from the beginning of the fall, and apples are out for sale at farms in western Massachusetts.

Many of these farms were unable to sell as much fruit during the summer with the lack of peaches due to the February cold-snap.

The region’s drought has affected the number of fall crops available at farms.

Clarkdale Fruit Farms in Deerfield has already harvested a variety of apples. Those include McIntosh, Gala, Paula Red, and Gravenstein.

22News found out how the summer’s dry weather affected apples at local farms.

“It was a tough summer for all orchards in the valley and beyond, with the lack of peaches, but  now with fall coming, cooler nights, more apples and the abundance of the crop we are feeling much better,” said Ben Clark, co-owner of Clarkdale Fruit Farms.

Clark said you can expect a much sweeter apple and pears this season because of the drought. He said the dry weather increased the concentration of the sugars in the fruits.

Clark also said honey crisp and Macoun apples will be available in a couple weeks.