By By KATHIE HEMPEL / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Fruit crops are under attack by the weather once more.
For Niles farmers, it is now a game of wait and see.
Depending on the crop and the farmer, guesses are ranging from a hopeful, "not too bad" to predictions of disaster.
This week's snow, ice and cold weather has those whose livelihood depends on agriculture unsure of this year's bottom line.
The one thing most agree on is that it will be mid-May before the extent of any damage is truly known.
"This could be the worst disaster ever in Berrien County. I really don't know, but it looks bad," said Robert Froehlich of Lake Road in Berrien Township.
His biggest concern is for his cherries and early apples which he fears have frozen at a critical stage. It will be May 10 or 12 before Froehlich will know for sure.
Kurt Hetler went out to check on some of his grapes. He took more than 15 cuttings and of those found a few where damage has occurred.
"We had a different bud set this year. Some were already out but others were still pretty tight. To really assess, it will have to warm up quite a bit," he said.
Checking back in his weather records for the same period last year, Hetler found that the temperature on this day in 2006 was a balmy 75 degrees.
"This was the start of a 10 to 12 day period of warm weather. Now listening to the 16-day forecast, it isn't too rosy. Nothing much above 60 degrees according to those forecasts," Hetler said.
With a great many of the plants and buds still dormant, he is hoping that the damage may not be too great. The Hetlers grow a great many spring flowering plants in their greenhouses.
"We wanted to move some out last week, however, it's tough to take any plant out of a 65 degree greenhouse and expect it to do well in this weather, " he said.
Steve Lecklider of Niles has concern for his large fruit crops.
"Raspberries, apples and pears will be fine. The peaches, blueberries and sweet cherries are partially thinned but still look okay. However, because the cold lasted a while it is uncertain as to whether the buds will stay on the tree and still be viable for pollination," he said.
Lecklider said only time will tell. He expects that he will know more within two weeks, but it is still too early to say crops will be really good.
All three farmers, and consumers, have to wait and see what they will be able to take to market this spring.