Strawberry season around Southern Tier in danger due to spring weather

WINDSOR (WBNG) - William Titus of North Windsor Berries has been in the farming business for more than 30 years.

However, this year especially, he is worried about this summer’s strawberry season. Due to hectic weather this spring, his usual share of the berries is in jeopardy.

“We have three acres that are into production, but if we have an acre or half an acre that produces anything I’ll be pretty happy at this point because most of them just couldn’t take it,” said Titus.

The strawberry season for picking usually starts near June 10 and is usually over by the Fourth of July.

The season this year started early for farmers due to an early Spring, however, the weather was much colder than expected.

Which in turn destroyed a good portion of the usual summer production of strawberries on Titus’ land.

“We had covered part of them to protect them, but it was just so cold it didn’t really help any,” said Titus,

“When all that cold hit, those berries will never form, and even the plants some of those have died because part of it’s so cold, the blossom when it starts if it freezes, it’ll never develop any fruit, it just does that blossom in,” said Titus.

This has put farms in the southern tier such as North Windsor berries going into picking season in deep trouble. Usually with plenty of stock to go around, now worrying about just being able to pick enough to get by the summer.

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