Southern Ontario Apple Growers Dodged Damaging Spring Frost

A spring frost on May 22 that cut Ontario apple production in half was not felt in Midwestern or Southwestern Ontario.

Cedar Springs fruit grower Hector Delanghe of Delhaven Orchards says local apple producers should be happy.

“We’ve got an average normal crop and that’s unusual for a farmer to say that but it’s a good crop we’ve got out there,” he says. “Some of the varieties are a little smaller than normal because of the lack of rain.”

Delanghe says over all fruit production was varied with strawberries and peaches lower than normal and good crops of sour cherries and pears, while sweet cherries didn’t do well because there was too much rain at the wrong time.

He says consumers should be happy with the apple crop as well because there is a good local supply at reasonable prices.