After a surprise May freeze devastated crop yields across Vermont last year, some farms like Chapin Orchards are now experiencing a massive comeback.

Phil Murdock, owner of Chapin Orchards, told us that the drop in temperature on May 18 resulted in a 96% crop failure.

Still, Murdock said, “Last year we were able to get by. The trees had nothing else to do but form leaves and buds for the next year – that was last year – so we had a strong bloom this year.”

Murdock believes that the trees have a year off to regenerate their energy, and that conditions are better in the spring to produce a bountiful harvest. In fact, the harvest is so bountiful that Murdock has been thinning the branches by hand all summer long.

He hopes the public will come to the orchard this year to support the community.

“Last year, people came up to us and apologized, they said we’re sorry, and they thought, hey, this happens. But just come on over and support us. We have a lot of fruit, we’ll have apples until early November,” Murdock said.

The apple picking season at Chapin Orchard begins August 31 and ends November 3. Visit the Chapin Orchard website for more information.

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