South Florida farmers are bracing themselves for a long weekend of non-stop work as an Arctic blast threatens to ravage their crops. With temperatures set to plummet on Sunday, local farms are taking drastic measures to protect their produce from the frigid conditions.
In Homestead, Torbert Farms is employing a strategy of "harvest before you harvest" to shield its green beans and other crops from the cold. Farmer David Torbert says his team will be working around the clock to bring in as much produce as possible, even if it means putting in extra hours to ensure they don't lose any crops.
The stakes are high for these farmers, who are used to dealing with hurricanes but have found that arctic blasts pose a far greater threat to their crops. If the temperature drops below freezing point for more than a few hours, the plants can freeze and be irreparably damaged. This is particularly concerning given that much of the country's winter vegetables are grown in South Florida, making it reliant on domestic production.
For Torbert Farms, Friday and Saturday will be its busiest days as workers strive to meet their harvest targets and keep their crops safe from the cold. The farm's owner has advised his team to "stay warm" and work diligently to get the job done, with the understanding that they'll have a rest period after the weekend.
Farmers are also taking precautions such as covering produce in tarpaulins or bringing them indoors to protect them from the elements. Melons on the back of a pickup truck were even spotted being loaded up and covered for protection, highlighting just how extreme the situation is.
As the coldest temperatures approach on Sunday morning, farmers know that every hour counts. They will be working tirelessly until Saturday night to harvest as much produce as possible, with their entire season hanging in the balance. If they fail to meet their targets, it could have devastating consequences for food production and security.
In Homestead, Torbert Farms is employing a strategy of "harvest before you harvest" to shield its green beans and other crops from the cold. Farmer David Torbert says his team will be working around the clock to bring in as much produce as possible, even if it means putting in extra hours to ensure they don't lose any crops.
The stakes are high for these farmers, who are used to dealing with hurricanes but have found that arctic blasts pose a far greater threat to their crops. If the temperature drops below freezing point for more than a few hours, the plants can freeze and be irreparably damaged. This is particularly concerning given that much of the country's winter vegetables are grown in South Florida, making it reliant on domestic production.
For Torbert Farms, Friday and Saturday will be its busiest days as workers strive to meet their harvest targets and keep their crops safe from the cold. The farm's owner has advised his team to "stay warm" and work diligently to get the job done, with the understanding that they'll have a rest period after the weekend.
Farmers are also taking precautions such as covering produce in tarpaulins or bringing them indoors to protect them from the elements. Melons on the back of a pickup truck were even spotted being loaded up and covered for protection, highlighting just how extreme the situation is.
As the coldest temperatures approach on Sunday morning, farmers know that every hour counts. They will be working tirelessly until Saturday night to harvest as much produce as possible, with their entire season hanging in the balance. If they fail to meet their targets, it could have devastating consequences for food production and security.
I'm not buying into this "harvest before you harvest" idea... sounds like a bunch of hooey to me. I mean, what's next? Harvesting at 3am every day just because there's a slight chance of frost? Give me a break! Can't these farmers just take some basic precautions like using cold frames or bringing in their crops for the night? 
And why do they have to work themselves to death over this? It's just a little ice, right? 
this is so crazy! South Florida farmers are literally putting in overtime to save their crops from the impending arctic blast 
. I mean, who knew that arctic blasts would be a thing to worry about in FL? 
As a foodie, I'm super grateful for these farmers who work tirelessly behind the scenes to bring us fresh produce all year round 
. It's like, their livelihoods are literally on the line here 
. Sending them all my positive vibes for a successful harvest 
#FarmLife #FoodSecurity #FloridaFarms
! And can we talk about how ridiculous it is to be loading up melons on the back of a truck just in case 
!
, I mean who knew they could use a lil' bit of creativity to save the harvest? Farmers are like superheroes, working around the clock to keep our plates full 
! I mean, we all know how crazy Florida weather can get, but arctic blasts? That's a whole new level of scary 
. I hope they get all their crops saved, but honestly, my heart goes out to those poor melons on the back of that truck 
...
It's not like hurricane season or anything, but I guess arctic blasts are just as unpredictable and can be super damaging to crops 
. i feel 4 them tho, theyre already dealin w/ hurricanes & now theres dis whole arctic thing... its like, they cant even relax 
. its like, food production & security or watever... gotta make sure ppl have grub 
. This is like a real-life game of survival 
.
but anyway back to this arctic blast thing... i mean i feel bad for the farmers but can we talk about how crazy it is that we're relying on south florida for our winter veggies? like i know it's a big deal for food production and security but shouldn't we be growing more of that stuff indoors or something? i don't know just thinking out loud 
This could be super bad for winter veggies if they don't get this stuff done on time... like what's the point of having domestic production if u can't even protect ur crops? 
. its like they're investing in themselves and their livelihoods. lets hope the farmers are able to meet their harvest targets and that south florida can still provide us with some amazing winter veggies 
... and the gov's not even saying a peep about it? suspicious, right? I mean, why are they hiding the truth from us? 
farmers should just get used to the cold already, its not like its going to kill them... or their plants lol. they're making a huge fuss over nothing, if its gonna be that bad, why didnt they plan for it? this "harvest before you harvest" thing sounds like just a bunch of hype to me 
, im sure the farmers can handle a little cold. and what's with all these precautions? covering up produce in tarpaulins? thats just giving them a lot of extra work on a weekend 