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Farmers thankful for lower temperatures this year

WEST MICHIGAN (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - Many of us would like to go back to this day last year, when it was 80 degrees in West Michigan.

However, as we found out, farmers are not among them.

Bill Schultz from Fruitridge Farms in Mattawan says he would rather have today's 30s and 40s than the 80s we had last year.

"It pushed our trees ahead of schedule by about five weeks, which meant they were exposed to spring frost for an extra five weeks," Schultz explained.

He says last year's March heat wave, coupled with April's hard frost, knocked out the entire cherry and peach crops, and most of the apple and grape crops.

This year, however, is looking very promising.

"The trees basically had a rest the past summer, so they should be in good shape to produce a nice crop for 2013," Schultz said.

For those who can't wait for fresh fruit season to begin, Fruitridge is expected to have asparagus by May, and cherries by July.

Unlike last year, the harvest is expected to be plentiful.