ROANOKE, Va. (AP) - Unseasonably warm winter weather followed by a cold snap late this month has central Virginia orchard owners and farm managers trying to assess the damage to their crops.
The Roanoke Times reports the recent weather mostly took a toll on fruits such as peaches, nectarines and plums that were blooming when the weather suddenly changed. Late-blooming tree fruits like apples are still doing well.
Producers tell the newspaper it's too early to know the full toll and how much fruit will be available to sell in the coming months. A risk of damage remains possible until early May.