Recent freeze harmed many northern N.M. crops
With recent temperatures boiling into the 90s, it’s hard to imagine that crops were freezing in northern New Mexico little more than a week ago.
But it’s true. And those heavy frosts may reduce shoppers’ choices at Santa Fe’s Farmers Market this summer, with fruit likely the hardest-hit, according to some vendors. Also, many vegetables will show up later in the season than usual.
“From what I’ve heard, people considered this to be a cold spring. It took a long time for the soil to warm up,” said Sarah Noss, executive director of the Santa Fe Farmers Market Institute. “It did have some effect on growers.”
In the usual hit-or-miss fashion of the region’s season change, some growers saw losses, while others pulled through.
“It’s been really rough for some people,” said Matt Romero, president of the Farmers Market Institute board, who has fields in Alcalde and Dixon. “A guy in Española lost a whole crop of peas to hail.”
A freeze came as late as June 12 this year, he said. “That’s the latest freeze my uncle can remember,” Romero said. “Last year, the latest was June 8.”
He said he lost some greens and some sweet pepper plants. Peas, which usually become available in May, didn’t hit the market until June because of a cold spring, he said.
Adam Mackie, who farms in Dixon, said he had a groundlevel thermometer reading 18 degrees the morning of June 11. “The spinach looked like it does on mornings in March, with a coating of ice pressing the leaves to the ground,” he wrote in an e-mail.
The freezes hit farms at higher altitudes, as well as fields situated in pockets that trap the sinking cold air, he said.
The average date for the last freeze in this area is May 15, according to Eric Anderson, who farms with partner Shauna Woodworth in Ojo Caliente. The freezes two weeks into June took him by surprise, he said.
“We had a really good start on the season with tomatoes,” he said. “The frost just decimated them.” He said the entire plants weren’t killed, but now the tomato crop is delayed by at least a month.
Mackie introduced Shishito and Padron frying peppers to the market, and expects to have them again this year. “Last year, we had one frost June 14 and the peppers were delayed fruiting until mid-August,” he wrote. “I expect the same this year.”
Romero predicted a light crop of fruit this year. “There are some cherries, virtually no apricots, and a few peaches,” he said.
But for Eddie Velarde, with three different orchards around Velarde, his wind machines saved what he calls a “bumper crop” of fruit. He said he turned on the machines eight times this spring — an effort that costs him $80 an hour in fuel.
But Velarde said he won’t raise any of his prices to make up the cost. “We can’t punish our customers. Our prices will be the same as last year,” he said.
Since growers without wind machines won’t have as much fruit, he might be able to make up the costs by selling more of his own crop, Velarde said.
“We’re one of the few with peaches,” he said.
Romero said he did raise the price of peas this year and may make some other price changes to offset rising fuel costs. But, he added, “I think we’re going to seem like a deal this year compared to anything else you buy … You’re supporting families, people.”
Things could be worse. “Last year, we got devastated with three hail storms through the season,” Anderson said. “Those took out 75 percent of all our crops.”
He said he has heard of hail storms around Española, Peñasco and Pecos so far this season. Northern New Mexico’s high-altitude, variable climate always is a challenge, he said. “You just kind of got to roll with it.”
There could be an upside to the late freezes. Mackie said he plans to use space where early plants froze to increase production of fall crops. “Look for piles of local leeks, red cabbage, parsley and green onions from late August on,” he wrote.
