The Brief
- Temperatures dipping into the 20s have Dover strawberry farmers working overnight to protect their crops.
- Parkesdale Farms is using irrigation and ground cloths to shield strawberries from potentially catastrophic cold.
- State leaders warn crop losses could be widespread; federal disaster assistance may be on the way.
DOVER, Fla. – As temperatures plunge across the Bay Area, strawberry farmers in Dover are bracing for the toll the cold could take on their crops.
At Parkesdale Farms, co-owner Gary Parke and his crew have been working around the clock, walking the fields overnight and turning on irrigation systems to freeze and insulate the plants. The technique helps preserve strawberries that can survive temperatures at or above 32 degrees, but anything colder could be catastrophic.
Crews are rotating five- to six-hour shifts, battling blustery conditions as overnight lows dip into the 20s.
Strawberries are especially vulnerable during a freeze, particularly the blossoms. Parke says the white flowers currently on the plants are crucial, as each one becomes a ripe strawberry in about 21 days.
While Parke expects many of the red, already-ripened berries won’t survive the cold, he’s optimistic about the blossoms. He says the colder temperatures could actually result in sweeter strawberries once they’re ready for harvest.…