In Connecticut, apple orchards and pumpkin patches are opening up across the state for autumn 2022. Bryan Hurlburt, the commissioner of Connecticut's Department of Agriculture, said that, due to the summer weather conditions, apples and other fall crops will be smaller and more scarce. At this point in time, the state does not have specific numbers on the yield losses.
On the upside, apples, pears and peaches will be sweeter because the sugar will be more concentrated due to the lack moisture, Hurlburt said. “There are challenges, but there are also certainly opportunities. And, we want to make sure that everybody's aware that there's still fruit out there, and there are still opportunities out there. And they such they should still go out there and visit a local orchard,” he added.
The burst of rain from this past week could exacerbate those struggles for orchard owners. The summer drought, similar to the one in 2020, caused soils to dry up and harden, hindering its ability to absorb heavy rains and causing flooding in some parts of the state.
Source: middletownpress.com