LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - Arkansas peach farmers are breathing a sigh of relief tonight.
Arkansans have made it through two nights of temperatures dipping very close to freezing, and for peach farmers in western Arkansas it could have been a disaster last night.
Peach farming has been around in Arkansas since the 1800, and since then, farmers have had to deal with unpredictable weather.
Kenneth Nichols has been in the peach growing business for 25 years. His farm in Crowley's Ridge has 700 peach trees.
He said right now the peaches are in the most fragile part of their growing process, but avoiding the freeze isn't the end of his weather worries.
"Cold, frost, hail, too much rain, not enough rain...it's always the weather," said Nichols.
Nichols said now that they have avoided what he hopes is the final freeze threat of the season, the attention turns to hoping the peaches bloom without a major rain or hail storm.
He hopes to get three bushels from each of his trees, weather permitting.
The middle of June to July is peak peach season in Arkansas.
