Video: Northeast Mississippi Orchard Feels Brunt Of Hard Freeze

PONTOTOC, MISS. (WCBI) – Amanda Stark has spent hours since Tuesday night’s hard freeze, checking many of the 6,000 or so peach trees at Cherry Creek Orchards.

Unseasonable warm weather meant peach trees were in early bloom, then the freeze hit.  Stark says her family, employees, and friends pitched in to start more than 100 fires, in barrels and woodpiles .

“We were hoping to bring the temperature up throughout the orchard to keep the peaches and plums from freezing that have already bloomed out really well,” Stark said.

“It looks like unfortunately it didn’t work out as we had hoped.  It’s not a total loss from what we can tell right now,” she said.

This is the first time in six years since the Starks have owned the orchard that they have had to deal with early blooms, followed by a freeze.  Amanda says the freeze may mean a later start at area Farmer’s Markets, but it should not impact prices.

“We ‘ve pretty much been the same ever since we opened and we try and stay the same , if anything we may have to sell in smaller quantities or something like that,” Stark said.

By May, boxes and shelves at Cherry Creek Orchards would be full of fruits like plums, peaches and nectarines and other produce.  But they’re just not sure how the hard freeze has affected the crop.  They won’t know that for a few more weeks.

Stark says people can keep up with the progress of this crop at Cherry Creek Orchard’s Facebook Page.  https://www.facebook.com/cherrycreekorchards/