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CROTON-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. Hundreds of apple trees in Thompsons Cider Mill orchard survived the freak snowstorm that dumped heavy wet snow, damaging many Cortlandt and Croton homes. Many trees were saved by Geoff Thompson, cider mill owner, who individually shook more than 125 trees of the weighty snow.
This has been a very challenging weather year. All the rain all summer, and then last summer with the drought, its amazing any of us have enough food to put on our tables when you realize what people in agriculture go through, said Thompson.
Normally the height of apple and cider season, Thompson said one of his biggest weekends before the Thanksgiving holiday was essentially nonexistent. Whats normally a very big weekend for us, was in terms of sales a total dud, but Im not the only one whos had that happen, he said.
Temperatures have also challenged Thompson, who keeps apples in cold storage after being picked, but lost power during the storm and for three days after. The cool weather kept his picked apples in good condition, but he said it can be nerve racking for the apples that havent been harvested yet.
Apples freeze at 27 degrees, and, according to Thompson, there have been nights where he estimates his orchard has been just about at 27.
Fortunately, its been so cold. If its hot and you lose refrigeration thats a really big problem, but with the temperature being as low as its been, everything has been okay in that sense. Im looking for some kind of silver lining, he said.
Thompson said what really amazed him, was his neighbors genuine concern for the orchard. I had five or six neighbors calls me and ask me if I wanted help, help shaking the trees, and that amazed me that people would even have that in their minds, he said.
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