Stephen Kitar is nestled underneath an Empire apple tree, reaching for one of the deep red, crisp varieties. He’s one of the co-owners at Masker Orchards in Warwick, New York, where visitors can drive right up to a tree to pick their apples.

In late April, Masker Orchards was one of many fruit farms across the Northeast region affected by an overnight spring freeze. The fruit tree buds were in full bloom after several warmer days when freezing temperatures hit his farm and destroyed the trees’ flower buds. 

“Some people lost 100 percent, and depending on how low the temperature[s] were going down, that more or less determined the kill rate,” said Kitar, who operates the farm with his business partner Mike Martucci. “I want to say we probably lost about 60 or 70 percent of [our crops].”

READ: After Frost Crop Loss, NY’s Apple Farmers Say Agriculture is a Growing ‘Gamble’

Many of Masker’s trees – which sits on almost 250 acres of Warwick Mountains – still bore plenty of apples, but Kitar’s now worried that these extreme weather events will become his new normal. 

“If we have another one, two, years from now, I would be very concerned. That’s enough to wipe out not just an individual farmer but let’s say an industry,” said Kitar.

The impacts of climate change are increasingly becoming a reality farmers must confront, says Jared Buono, Director of Cornell University’ Hudson Valley Research Laboratory.

“Hail and frost are particularly difficult to deal with because it’s difficult to protect from. In some cases, you will talk to some growers that if they’ve got their systems for protecting against insects and disease worked out, hail and frost might be some of their largest concerns about what can they do now,” said Buono. The Hudson Valley Research Laboratory is a 20-acre research farm supporting the region’s fruit and vegetable growers.

Buono says farmers are facing more storm intensities, with more winter crop injuries due to climate variability they haven’t seen before.

New York has taken some steps to help fruit growers affected by the April spring freeze. In July, the state secured a USDA disaster declaration for eligible farmers to apply for low-interest emergency loans. Sullivan, Ulster, Orange, and Delaware counties were among the 32 counties included in the federal declaration.

Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger, whose county makes up the second-largest apple producer in the state, told Radio Catskill in July she anticipates these disaster declarations to become more common.

“This is definitely climate change. This is what has been predicted for our region, and we can expect more of the same,” said Metzger. 

Orchards remain open for business 

At Soons Orchards in New Hampton, owner Jeffrey Soons is busy grading apples alongside his staff based on fruit quality, ripeness, and weight. A steady flow of customers trickle into the store on a Tuesday afternoon in early October, browsing an assortment of breads, fruits and vegetables, and fresh apple cider donuts. 

Soons says the farm was deeply affected by the spring freeze, losing about 90 percent of their apples and 80 percent of their peaches.

The Soons have since had to make some difficult business decisions, like limiting purchases and deciding how frequent and when to open their U-Pick apple farm in Orange County this fall.

“We debated whether to be closed for a few months in the winter, but we’ve determined we should stay open because we’ve been open all year for 25 years now,” said Soons. “As soon as you close for a little while, people assume you are closed in December every year, which is not conducive to business.”

Like other orchards, Soons is focused on getting the word out that their farm is still open. Buono from Cornell University said that the best way to support growers this fall is by buying local fruit.

“There’s a lot of growers that have farm stands or U-Picks or there’s cider donuts. Go there. Go help the growers by doing that,” said Buono. “You’ll enjoy yourself and you’ll also help keep farming alive and well in the Hudson Valley.”