AGRICULTURE: It's prime time for picking summer produce

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June 25, 2008

By Joe Olenick<br><a href="mailto:olenickj@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail Joe</a> The Lockport Union-Sun %26 Journal Wed Jun 25, 2008, 01:47 AM EDT

Oscar Vizcarra, owner of Becker Farms in Gasport, used one word to describe the picking season of strawberries.

“Perfect,” he said. “This is the prime time for picking.”

Strawberries are in season, and according to some farmers, the crop has been excellent so far. And while it is still early, other fruit crops look promising as well. Next up, in July, are cherries, which need the high temperatures to grow properly, followed by other berries, peaches and apples in the fall.

Although it has been unusual for June, a big contributor to the strawberry crop has been the cooler weather. The cool temperatures and rain are the recipes for a great strawberry, according to Vizcarra.

“The weather has been ideal for strawberries,” he said. “That’s what we have been experiencing here in Gasport.”

Vizcarra said the cherries are turning color and the crop is looking good for picking in July.

Carol Murphy, owner of Murphy Orchards in Burt, said strawberries were just finishing up on her farm. The strawberries were beautiful, she said, and grown organically this year.

“They’re big, nice and taste wonderful,” she said.

Murphy said strawberries aren’t the big crop at her farm, but cherries are, and she said they will be ready for picking this weekend. So far, the cherries are looking good, and people can come down to Murphy Orchards to pick the strawberries or cherries themselves.

“Nature is wonderful,” she said. “You have to bend over in the heat to pick strawberries, but then you get to stand up in the shade to pick cherries.”

At Murphy Orchards, after the cherry season come mulberries, gooseberries and raspberries. Peaches and plums come later in the summer, and so far, the fruit crop is looking good, Murphy said.

Paul Lehman of the Cornell Cooperative Extension said the cooler weather certainly helped the strawberries, and he has noticed a number of “u-pick” operations already starting in the county. But it is still early to tell, as far as the other fruit crops are concerned, although signs are encouraging.

“We have had a good balance of moisture and growing conditions,” he said. “With hotter days, strawberries will start deteriorating and softening. It is early, but it is looking good.”

The recent hail storms missed most of the farms in eastern Niagara County. Murphy Orchards was spared, but Murphy said some people showed her the damage on their cars after the storm.

For the farmers that were affected by the weather negatively, help could be on the way. Gov. David Paterson said in a news release last week that farmers should document their losses from the hail storm so that the state could apply for federal disaster relief. Farmers can report their crop losses to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service, which will contact the state agriculture department. Another option for farmers would be the Supplemental Agriculture Disaster Assistance Program, which was passed in the federal Farm Bill recently. The program is projected to provide up to $1 billion for the next five years for significant crop losses due to adverse weather, according to the news release.

Contact reporter Joe Olenick

at 439-9222, ext. 6241.

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