HAZEL GREEN, Ala. — Local farms are a vital asset to Alabama's economy. "We've been raising apples and peaches since my great-great grandfather moved back over here from Texas," Will Scott, fifth generation farmer at Scott's Orchard shares. Scott and other farmers experienced a brief but challenging time back in March.
"Back in March about in full peach bloom, we had two nights... we got down to 19 and then 17 degrees and even though it was just for a short time, that was enough to kill almost what we thought were all of the peach blooms," Scott said. "We still have a few peaches this summer and apples are looking pretty good but when weather gets cold like that, it doesn't play well with us. So, we have to work out here outside all the time. So, a lot of different crops throughout our part of the country were impacted. They might not have been completely killed, but there will be fewer than there usually are."
Gov. Kay Ivey is doing what she can to help aid those effected by the harsh condition. On May 19th, the governor sent a letter to the USDA asking them to consider declaring counties effected disaster areas. Those counties would include:
Primary Counties (16):
Baldwin, Cullman, Henry, Morgan, Blount, Elmore, Houston, Russell, Chilton, Escambia, Mobile, Tallapoosa, Clarke, Etowah, Montgomery and Washington
Contiguous Counties (35):
Autauga, Barbour, Bibb, Bullock, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Choctaw, Clay, Conecuh, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Dallas, DeKalb, Geneva, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lee, Limestone, Lowndes, Macon, Madison, Marengo, Marshall, Monroe, Perry, Pike, Randolph, St. Clair, Shelby, Walker, Wilcox and Winston
“Alabama’s farmers are vital to Alabamians and Americans alike," Ivey shares. " They put the food on our tables and are a center point of our economy. This much needed disaster designation will help these hardworking men and women recover from lost crops resulting from an unpredictable change of temperature. I know this will help a good deal, and I am certainly proud to have the backs of our farmers during this recovery process and always.”
While at the moment the letter is only a request, Scott is thankful for Ivey's continued support on the matter. " We're always appreciative when we get support from our legislators on any kind of disaster assistance funding," Scott shares. "It usually comes through the USDA so Governor Ivey requesting and doing all of her back work to make sure we have good documentation of what happened is really helpful when we reach on to the next level to get federal funding for any kind of disaster."
While government support is important when it comes to disasters, the community can help out as well. " When our local community is experiencing adverse conditions like we had this year with the cold weather, it's always important to support us even more so you can go to places like Sweet Ground Alabama and find a list of all the local produce stands and farmers in our area to make sure you continue to support local."
About Scott's Orchard:
Scott's Orchard is a century-old, family-owned business that grows 18 varieties of apples on 100 acres and 20 different varieties of peaches on an additional 50 acres. Pick your own apples in September and October. Freshly pressed cider and slushies are a popular seasonal feature.
Scott’s Orchard is located about 35 minutes north of downtown Huntsville at 2163 Scott Road, Hazel Green, AL 35750.