His prized peaches, like those of most other farmers in Georgia, were decimated. Extremely unusual for this southern state, so closely associated with this production that it is nicknamed the “Peach State”.
The winter was abnormally mild, causing peach blossoms to bloom early in the season. Except that in March, temperatures dropped below zero, far too cold for the delicate buds.
“When we went to see, we were opening a peach blossom, dead, another peach blossom, dead,” recalls Stuart Gregg, 29. “It’s awful to see that.”
Three days of frost was enough to kill an entire crop. Of the approximately 28 hectares cultivated by Gregg Farms, a small family farm in Concord, only a handful of fallen pits remain.
Unheard of in 20 years, and a “six-figure” shortfall, laments the young man, lock of brown hair on his forehead.
Reluctantly, the family had to resolve this summer not to open the doors of their farm to customers, who usually come to pick peaches or enjoy ice cream. At the entrance, a large red sign invites them to come back “in 2024”.
90% loss
This year, around 90% of the harvest in the state has been lost, experts say, who warn it will happen more and more often due to climate change, which is advancing budding.
Eventually, some varieties of old peaches, which need a cold winter, “will no longer be able to be grown in Georgia at all”, explains Pam Knox, agricultural climatologist at the University of Georgia.
This juicy and sweet fruit is nevertheless an institution in the state. “Nothing beats a Georgia peach,” proudly assures Stuart Gregg.
Drawn on license plates, a staple on restaurant menus, fishing is everywhere – except, this time, on trees.
To help local producers adapt, Dario Chavez, a horticulture professor specializing in fishing, is developing new hybrid varieties that are more conducive to mild winters.
“We’re matchmakers,” says the curly-haired man who lives, appropriately, in Peachtree City. Thanks to the laboratory and the orchard of the University of Georgia, he can, for example, cross species chosen for their delicious taste, their good yield or their adaptation to warmer climates.
Dario Chavez, 39, works with farmers, who are “not afraid of change”, according to him. But the process is long. “What we are doing today could take 15 years to see the light of day”, he explains in the middle of his peach trees, hat on his head.
Some farmers are also now growing fruits that were previously only grown further south, such as citrus fruits.
“As time goes on, as it gets warmer in Georgia, they test other species, like grapefruits or even a few oranges,” notes Pam Knox.
Blueberries in peril
But climate isn’t just a threat to fisheries. Blueberries, also very important in Georgia, are also suffering.
Stuart Gregg and his family, who grow them alongside their peach trees, have lost around 75% of their small production this year. “We have always had a lot of blueberries, but not really for two or three years,” he laments, sweeping the few small purple balls still on the shrubs with his hand.
The young man, whose grandparents set up the farm in the 1970s, prefers not to comment on the reasons why the 2023 season was disastrous.
“We are not really scientists,” he says. “I can’t really worry about climate change, whether it’s going to happen or not. We’re doing what we can.”
If a more resistant fruit is developed, he would be happy to try growing it. In the meantime, Stuart Gregg thinks about next summer, which he already imagines rich in ripe peaches and delighted customers, and the smile returns to his lips.
Bad harvests are part of the life of a farm, he recalls. “You know, gambling and farming, it’s not that different. Every year, it’s like rolling the dice.”
2023-07-16 03:34:33
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