WILLARD, Box Elder — During what would normally be a very busy time at his farm, Steve Pettingill is having to cut back his workforce. In 70 acres of peach trees, he will have no peaches to harvest this season, thanks to a freeze in late May.
"I had 14 people working, and seven are gone now, and that's hard," Pettingill said. "There's families involved."
While Pettingill can recall a similar freeze-out in the mid-'90s, it is exceedingly rare to have all farmers impacted this way along Utah's Famous Fruit Highway, which runs along Highway 89, between Willard and Perry, in Box Elder County. Another peach farmer, Fred Barker, previously told KSL that the only other time he was frozen out was about 50 years ago.
Farmers, however, are nothing if not resilient. Pettingill said being diversified will be especially important this year. Under a greenhouse, he's been able to harvest melons, bell peppers and vegetables.
"If I had all of our eggs in one basket, like peaches or apples or cherries, it'd be a really bad deal," Pettingill said. "We'll do our best to survive."
Meantime, he points out that you won't be likely to find Utah Peaches anywhere this year. Like other farmers, he is considering bringing them in from other states. Though a rare few peaches survived the freeze on his farm, it won't be enough to put on the market.
"They're going to be in my belly," he giggled.
