KINGSLAND, Ga. — For farmer Bob Merck, Owner of Merck Farms in Kingsland Georgia, strawberry season is normally the highlight of his year.
“Strawberries is our best crop,” Merck said. “A lot of times, we only open for like three hours, because our fields will get picked clean…this is our highest crop that we make the most money on, for sure.”
Strawberry season runs from February through May, with the height of strawberry production happening in February. But the recent freezes are causing farmers, like Merck, to worry.
“It killed the blooms which will turn into berries which will eventually ripen and you can start picking,” Merck said. “We’re going to have to delay our opening.”
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With this weekend’s arctic freeze coming in and his blooms already dead Merck says his main concern is the crown of the plants.
“That’s like the heart of the plant. And if that crown dies, the plant dies,” Merck said.
Merck says he’s using a drip irrigation system to keep the plants warm. He’s just praying that mother nature will take it easy on him.
“Until we start picking strawberries, we have no income,” Merck said. “This can delay our beginnings of our income…depending on how long the cold continues.
Right now Merck’s farm is scheduled to open in early March but again things can change if the arctic freeze kills the crown of the plants.
You can read more information about Merck Farms by clicking here:
To learn more about the upcoming arctic freeze, read Buresh Blog.
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