Apple harvest is picking up in one of the nation’s largest producing states, but not for all growers.

“Our crop is virtually nonexistent.”

Southwest Michigan grower Kevin Winkel’s orchard is just south of I-94 in Hartford where freezing temperatures in May devastated most tree fruit that was blooming at the time.

“The crops are very light and very poor.  When you get 30 miles south, they’re much better and when you go north of South Haven, and especially Grand Rapids, their crops seem to be pretty good.”

The 2020 Michigan Master Farmer tells Brownfield this isn’t the first time his crop had to be abandoned because of extreme weather.

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