It’s worse than feared for apple farmers in Ontario.
Ontario Apple Growers association chair Brian Gilroy says that it looks like Ontario apple farmers have lost about 88 per cent of their crop this year.
“It’s devastating,” said Gilroy. “The estimates that we gave of there being 20 per cent of the crop left is probably optimistic. We’re looking at probably 12 per cent.”
Warm weather in February and March led to early blossoms that were, in April, burned by frost. A killer blow.
The Ontario Apple Growers surveyed apple farmers in the province. Of more than 220 farmers, only 37 reported back, but the numbers don’t look good.
“On my farm, there’s hardly a McIntosh there,” said Gilroy. ”There’s a large Spy block. You’ll walk by four or five apple trees without seeing anything. The real conundrum is what to do with such a spotty crop as that.”
Gilroy estimated that on his farm, a tree that might normally produce 12 to 15 bushels will only produce one this season.
That also means fewer people needed to pick apples. Gilroy said the damage this season could mean 600 fewer jobs in the Georgian Bay area alone where he farms apples.
Brenda Fletcher of Fletcher Fruit Farm in Binbrook said of the 23 varieties she usually sells, only four or five will produce enough to make it to the market.
Once she gets to the market on Ottawa Street, she’s not sure how long she can stay.
“We may lose our market for the winter,” Fletcher said. “We’re hoping to let our customers know we will be back next year. It was just the weather.”
The news is not all bad. Northern Spy and Gala apples are in good supply across Ontario. Gilroy estimates a “reasonable volume” for both.
Gilroy hopes help from the government is on the way. They haven’t announced any plan for compensating farmers, but the government has been doing the background work necessary to put a plan in place, he said.
He is certain, however, about his message for people who love Ontario grown apples.
“We’ll be back stronger than ever in 2013,” he said. “We’re not going to be that dominant in the market this year but whenever possible ask for Ontario grown.”
Just another Day on the Farm 
Mr D drives by the orchards of the largest “local” fruit farm (where he worked for a while last year) on his way to work. He said he stopped yesterday and looked – he couldn’t see a *single* blossom anywhere on their dwarf apple trees. On L’s trees, the “harvest apple” will have fruit – that’s a little, tart, green apple that blossoms late, but it’s not sold commercially. There are no blossoms on the pear trees or the big McIntosh that filled my cupboard with applesauce last year.
Have to say, I’m SO glad I put up so much apples and pears last year! I still have about 6 litres of dried pears, plus a bushel basket’s worth of dried apples, and plenty of applesauce. And rhubarb – I still have 24 pints from last year, and I just dried 4 litres’ worth.
It’s about the same here in NY state. Very sad. Gonna be a weak harvest all around.
*anna
88% – ouch in so many ways
Oh dear! My apples seem to be doing very well this year. I DO like Gala so I’m glad they are fine…..but I’m sure they’ll be priced at a premium!
I hope your Mom is doing fine…..
Welcome to the ups and downs of farming… Things do tend to run in cycles (every seven years, right?) and while, as the old saying goes, “You have to make hay while the sun shines.” – on the flip side, if it’s raining out, you can take always break or work inside right?
What I mean to say, is that while the early apples did take a hit in a lot of places; as FarmGal mentioned in her garden report recently, other tree/bush fruits and berries seem to be absolutely loaded this year. So, for this year the fruit trees will get a break and instead put all their energy into growth for next year’s crop (and after last year’s bumper crop, don’t they deserve it? ; )
No worries, life goes on… (And yes, you can call me PollyAnna: )
Wow. More than any other occupation, farming seems to make it abundantly clear that while there are many things you can fix, help, mend, and do something about, there are others that will remain completely out of your control. I will appreciate any apple I eat this fall with this post in mind.