Extreme weather drastically cuts Polk County farmers' citrus yield

Florida farmers are facing a difficult harvest season after a year of extreme weather, and one Polk County citrus farm says its crop yield is down about 50%.

At Ever After Farms in Polk City, the effects of a record cold snap earlier this year are still visible throughout the groves. Jenny Cahoon, the farms CEO, says the freeze destroyed about 30% of the farms trees.

Cahoon said the cold weather hit at a critical time for citrus trees, damaging the blooms that determine how much fruit they produce.

When that cold came in for record number of hours it really did damage, a lot of damage on the trees and our bloom for that year and it affected that the yield, Cahoon said. So well see effects of that cold front for years to come.

The cold snap was followed by a summer-long drought and heavy rainfall in September, adding to the challenges for growers.

Cahoon said the reduced yield is creating a significant financial strain on the familys farming operation. The farm must cover the cost of replanting trees while preparing for less income from fruit sales and its annual U-pick season.

Financially, it was a really big hit so not only did we have to come up with monetary funds to be able to replant the grove. Were going to see a huge reduction in overall income from our U pick operations and selling them the fruit, Cahoon said.

Ever After Farms also operates a wedding and event venue, providing another income source to help offset agricultural losses.

Cahoon said the venue lets the family keep investing in the groves despite the difficult growing season.

Its honestly been what saved us throughout these unpredictable weather patterns, she said.

Despite the losses, Ever After Farms is preparing to welcome visitors for its annual U-pick season. The smaller crop could mean a shorter harvest this year.

Cahoon hopes customers will support local farms and learn more about the challenges growers face as they deal with unpredictable weather.

We put trust in a higher power, and we know that we are resilient and we will come back from this, Cahoon said.

For Polk County citrus growers, the season is a reminder of how extreme weather can affect crop production and the financial future of family farms.