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Heavy rains and unstable temperatures devastated Michigan’s strawberry crop

Christian Lundh
/
https://flic.kr/p/g8GXV

Strawberry season is over and farmers across the state say it wasn’t a good one.

Early warm weather followed by freezing nights lead to crop losses across the state.

Adam Pennell own Pennell Farms in Vassar. He said this year resembles a similar crop loss five years ago that sent his farm into bankruptcy.

“We had the same set up five years ago and I had a total crop loss five years ago and it’s really been a setback from me as a grower and this has really been a setback for me as well.”

Pennell said this year he’ll have to rely on vegetables to help keep his farm afloat.

Carl Coty is the owner of Strawberry Fields Farm in Hemlock Michigan. He said this year they were able to harvest only two acres of the farm’s normal seven.

“In May they start growing, they start blooming in April and then the first of May we got those two days of 28 degrees and it kind of killed some of the buds and blossoms.”

Coty said in addition to the unstable temperatures his farm was hit with five inches of rain and lost roughly 20 percent of his crop.

He said he is already preparing the next years crop, and hoping for more consistent weather.