Ela Family Farms reports total crop loss due to early cold snap

Ela Family Farms, located in Delta County, Colorado, reported a total loss of its current crop. The farm usually cultivates 50 different fruit varieties, including cherries, peaches, pears, and plums, alongside 30 types of apples. Due to an unseasonable winter and spring, the plants bloomed three weeks earlier than usual. A cold night in April, when temperatures dipped into the low 20s, proved fatal to the early bloom.

The crop failure comes as local farmers markets enter their final weeks. The loss of the annual harvest means that customers are receiving very little of the usual produce. The incident highlights the vulnerability of agricultural operations to extreme weather events.