Local farms take steps to protect crops during cold snap
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A chilly start to the work week is causing concern for farmers who are trying to protect their crops from being impacted.
The snow that fell across the Triangle on Sunday combined with freezing temperatures forced them to take action to shield their crops.
This comes after a really warm February, which led to an earlier grow season.
Eno River Farm in Hillsborough has strawberries and blueberries. They're using row covers to protect the strawberries, placing them on a raised bed to insulate them.
Manager Terri Bennett says it's about five degrees warmer under that extra layer.
"We're already starting to get fruit, so we're about four weeks out to get fruit. And the concern is the extension of the cold weather will harm the fruit and it can cause them to be deformed, if it gets too much colder," said Bennett.
The farm added they'll also frost protect for their blueberries using overhead irrigation that leads to ice forming on the plant, which insulates the fruit.
They initially planted back in September and hope to have their strawberries ready by mid to late next month.
Chris Hunt, whose family has run Hunt's Strawberries in Raleigh for more than 50 years said he's confident they'll be able to avoid any losses.
"As long as we don't have temperatures below 25 degrees, we should be okay and we can protect the strawberries. If we get below 25 (degrees), we already have some fruit out there, we could have a little fruit damage. The flowers and the new potential strawberries, they're going to be okay," he said.
Hunt says they are aiming to start picking season on April 10 more than two weeks ahead of schedule.
