Dickey Farms, a family-owned peach business for more than a century, is optimistic about this year’s Georgia peach crop. According to co-owner Lee Dickey, despite the challenges, they expect a good harvest.
MUSELLA, Ga. (41NBC/WMGT) – Dickey Farms, a family business that has been growing peaches for more than a century, is optimistic about this year’s peach crop in Georgia. According to co-owner Lee Dickey, despite the challenges, they expect a good harvest.
“First of all, peaches need a certain period of rest,” Dickey said. “One thing we look at is chill hours, or what some people call cold hours, and so peaches need a certain number of hours below 45 degrees.”
Dickey added that the trees didn’t get the cold weather they wanted this year, but they are thriving. However, he expressed concern about a late frost that could damage the crop.
“Once those blooms start to bloom, they’re very susceptible to damage in temperatures around 28 degrees or severe frost,” Dickey explained. “And when those flowers turn into little peaches, that little peach is very delicate.”
To protect peaches, Dickey Farms plans to use water irrigation during warm weather and protective blankets for crops such as strawberries in the event of a late freeze.
Joshua Raffield, food security coordinator for Dickey Farms, emphasized the importance of temperature control for trees.
“We don’t want it to be too hot and too cold,” Rufield said. “With this intense heat, when we’re touching the nineties and most of the eighties and nineties, it can put some stress on the tree, and it’s not ready for that kind of heat yet.”
Despite these challenges, Raffield is confident that this year’s crop will produce some of the best peaches in Georgia.
“This year I’m seeing a very good view of good peaches – good size,” Ruffield said. “That and the cold weather helped us a lot this year.”
Dickey Farms expects the first crop of peaches to be ready for picking in early May, barring a late freeze. The first harvest of strawberries is planned to be collected within the next two weeks.