In spite of an unusually cold March, South Jersey farms are expecting a normal season for peaches. And while a cooler-than-average spring might frustrate residents looking to get out of the house, some farmers say the delayed warm weather can be a blessing in disguise.
“It doesn’t bother me one bit,” said Richard Mood, owner of Mood’s Farm Market in Mullica Hill. “You have a better chance of getting by without a frost. The only thing bad about it is, it’s cold.”
Mood explained that although peach blossoms bloomed earlier than usual last year, subsequent frosts damaged some crops. A bloom that comes right on time – or even late – means there is less of a risk of the peach blossoms freezing before they can flourish into fruit.
“If you get five days of 60, 70 degrees, they’ll bloom,” said Mood. “And if you get a frost after that, you’re in trouble. Your crop is lost for the whole season.”
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