A fast-moving hail storm two months ago, is having a lasting impact on crops in Door County.

Farmers in the area say the damage was the worst they ever saw.

Apple grower Bob Fellner says he sees reminders every day from July’s hail storm.

“They just didn’t size up at all. These should be about the size of a baseball right now. Maybe a little smaller, and they’re not even the size of a racquetball,” said Fellner of Fellner Orchards.

Apples are rotting on the branch. Fellner says 60 acres were lost when a hail storm swept through his orchard and parts of the Town of Sevastopol just north of Sturgeon Bay.

“You can’t sell for deer apples. Juice companies won’t take them. So these are a complete loss,” said Fellner.

At the Peninsular Agricultural Research Station, Superintendent Matt Stasiak says every type of fruit crop on the 20-acre was affected by the hail.

“It came down for 33 minutes. A three-minute hail storm is a long time, so physical damage to the apples was beyond anything we have seen or could imagine,” said Stasiak.

The storm cut a narrow path of damage through parts of Northern Door County. Other farmers in the area say besides being a little late, this year’s crop looks pretty good.

“They’re just a little behind due to the cold Spring and the late bloom. The cooler Summer, we had cool weather all Summer. So it’s taking just a little longer to mature the crop,” said Dave Schartner, Schartner’s Farm Market.

Schartner expects to pick many of his apples in about a week.

Fellner says, his hail-damaged apples are just part of his problem. He is making plans to replant about 1,000 apple trees killed by the last Winter’s harsh conditions.

“It is what it is. Every year you go on. We’ll have to tighten our belts a little bit this Winter, and go from there,” said Fellner.

Farmers say the next concern for their crops is freezing conditions.

They say the first frost in the area generally occurs in the first week of October.

Source - http://fox11online.com/