Fall apple picking and pumpkin patches in ruin as Colorado’s farm produce is spoiled by bad weather
Colorado's beloved autumn traditions of apple picking and pumpkin patches have been severely disrupted this year after a string of extreme weather events devastated the state's farms. An April overnight freeze wiped out fruit crops in the North Fork Valley, while an unusually hot spring and summer, a record-hot July in Denver, and a hail-and-flood-hit Labor Day weekend combined to leave many growers with little or nothing to harvest. The disruption matters beyond lost seasonal fun, as it threatens farmers' livelihoods, seasonal workers' jobs, and families' access to a cherished autumn tradition.
Some farms have cancelled events entirely: Sonrise Farm scrapped its pumpkin patch in June after deciding not to plant, while Berry Patch Farms had to alter its plans due to poor harvests. Ela Family Farms lost its entire apple crop after trees bloomed three weeks early and were then killed by the April frost, forcing owners to invoke an "act of God" clause to cancel contracts with seasonal H-2A visa workers, some of whom had to find alternative employment. Farmer Mike Nolan, in his 22nd season at Mountain Roots Produce, described this year as the strangest he has experienced, and growers are now adapting by installing irrigation and rethinking schedules for future seasons.
- Extreme weather has ruined Colorado's apple and pumpkin harvests this autumn
- An April freeze and record summer heat destroyed many farms' crops
- Some farms cancelled events and seasonal workers' contracts as a result
New here? Start with this
Colorado's autumn tradition of apple picking and pumpkin patches has taken a hit this year, with many farms across the state left with little or nothing to harvest. The trouble began with an April overnight freeze that destroyed fruit crops in the North Fork Valley, and was compounded by an unusually hot spring and summer, a record-hot July in Denver, and a hail-and-flood-hit Labor Day weekend.
Several well-known farms have been affected in different ways. Sonrise Farm cancelled its pumpkin patch back in June after choosing not to plant at all, Berry Patch Farms had to change its plans due to a poor harvest, and Ela Family Farms lost its entire apple crop when trees bloomed early and were then killed by frost, leading it to cancel contracts with seasonal workers on H-2A visas.
Beyond the disappointment for families who look forward to these autumn outings, the situation matters because it affects farmers' incomes and the jobs of seasonal workers who rely on the harvest season for employment. Growers are now looking at longer-term changes, such as installing irrigation, to cope with increasingly unpredictable weather in future years.