By: Stephen Haymond
Last year was disastrous for Alabama peach farmers and their crops. With a heavy cold snap happening deep into the season, most of the peaches in the state were completely gone or rendered unusable.
It was the most detrimental frost for Alabama peach farmers since 1955, seven years after High Rise Farm’s Kenyon Easterling’s family moved onto their current land in 1948.
“It was devastating, county wide, state wide, really southeast wide. Every farmer around had basically a total loss” Easterling says.
They were able to keep their peach stand, Easterling’s Big Peach, afloat based purely off of consolidating outside sources. “We just kinda had to do what we had to do to get through the year. Income wise, it was a hit below the water line.”
2024 looks to be much different for High Rise Farm and all the other peach farms in the area.
“This year is looking great… most of our trees are in pretty much full bloom right now…we’ve had plentiful moisture. As long as the temperature stays seasonal, as long as it starts warming up it stays warm, we’re good”
With Harvest set to begin in May, barring anymore historic cold snaps, this years crop is set to be a successful and important one for High Rise Farm and all Alabama peach farmers
“Go out and support your local peach farmer, because it’s not easy”
Vallo Vision News 