Wisconsin fruit growers celebrate early crop, but worry about the future

Raspberry picking time has arrived at the Fideler Farm in Kewaskum. The growing team there says it's definitely earlier than normal.

Maybe you've noticed that you-pick apple orchards are also open. Some have been for over a month now.

Apple Holler opened for picking on July 12th. It's the earliest they've ever been able to do that. The owner says it's a direct effect of what he described as "tropical growing conditions" — a warmer and wetter start to the year. But it's not all good news - warmer winters could be a serious threat to the future of Wisconsin's fruit crop.

This past February was the warmest ever recorded in Wisconsin. In fact, the state's climatology office says the entire winter season was the warmest since record-keeping began in 1895.

"What it did is push our apple buds into a growth mode," recalled David Flannery, the owner of Apple Holler. "And things started popping and growing a lot sooner than normal."

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When buds or blossoms arrive early, it increases the risk that they can be damaged or killed by a hard spring frost.

"To me, that's climate change," added Flannery, who says spring temperatures in the orchard have dropped 40 or 50 degrees in one night.

Watch: Wisconsin fruit growers celebrate early crop, but worry about the future

Southeastern Wisconsin fruit growers celebrate an early crop but worry about the future

That's why they installed wind machines that force warm air closer to the ground and help fight the freeze.

About an hour's drive north, the raspberry season has arrived early on The Fideler Farm.

"We've had pretty good-sized berries this year," said Brandan Schuetz.

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However, if you want to pick your own, you'll now have to wait until Sunday. Schuetz says a dip in temperature the past few nights has slowed ripening.

"We have a 90-degree day coming up I believe this Sunday," he continued. "So we're going to be open as much as we can, to get as many raspberries off as possible, before the sun scalds the berries." Those interested in picking can learn about times and prices on the farm's Facebook page .

When it comes to the impact of climate change, Schuetz says milder winters are leading to new growth.

"It's allowed us to expand into things that we wouldn't have taken the risk on in past years," he said while showing off a greenhouse full of new blackberry plants. "It is a little bit risky though if we get a cold winter...it could destroy the plants."

And that's a worry Wisconsin fruit producers are very familiar with.

"Yeah, I know Mr. Anxiety very well," said Flannery with a laugh.

That's why back at Apple Holler, construction is underway on a new wedding barn.

"So, this next year, at this time, we'll be doing weddings in the wedding barn," he explained. "So yeah, we're always trying to add something to help diversify the business and have different lines of income in the event that we do have a loss of a crop."

According to a NOAA climate analysis, the record-breaking warmth this past winter was the result of a strong El Nino and the long-term warming trend -- which has been concentrated in the winter and spring here in Wisconsin.

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