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Michigan: Frost concerned farmers in early May

17/05/2021

2021 Season
François-Xavier Branthôme
Red Gold
USA,
North America
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The Michigan press in early May recounted a particularly devastating frost on the tomato crop from memory. "If we get a frost, that next morning they will start turning black, and they will die. That's happened before."
This spring has been anything but a walk in the park with frost and freeze conditions transpiring multiple times after a few days of highs in the 80°F (26.6 °C) in early April.
Another round of below freezing temperatures with frost was poised to develop Friday (May 7, 2021) night throughout West Michigan.

Janice AcMoody, who operates AcMoody farms in Union City since 1980 explained: “Few years ago it frosted on May 20th, and we lost 60 acres. Those (fields) are going to be behind, but Red Gold needs the tomatoes. So, we have to replant. Sometimes we get insurance. Those little tomato plants cost 5 cents each plant."

AcMoody farms dedicated 475 acres solely for Red Gold Premium Tomatoes, the processing company in Orestes, Indiana. "The temperatures are the main thing right now for tomatoes, […] so we are also planting at night.”

 
Unfortunately, less than ideal temperatures were expected for West Michigan the following week, too.
"One year we hired a helicopter to fly over the top. You know, just like the fruit farmers do. We ran irrigation around, and it puts an ice coating on the tomatoes. That sometimes helps too," she said.
Source: wwmt.com

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