हिंदी
We tend to forget that agriculture and farming is not easy. Farmers are too often at the mercy of external factors like severe weather, floods, hurricanes, snow etc which have the power to destroy their crops. These conditions hit and the crops are ruined within over a span of hours or over a season.
This year, because of the dry summer paired with late spring snow, apple crops have been impacted all across the region. Apple picking is a very famous activity and if you got the chance to do this you would have probably noticed a subtle difference in the way the apples taste this year. One farmer reported that one of the main reasons his crops was affected was the late season frost that wrapped up the whole region. The apples were so frost bitten that they could not have been salvaged.
But the factors that really affected the size and flavour of the fruit actually happened over the summer. The dry conditions led to a lot of difficulties to the orchard owners. Scarce summer rainfall left the area extremely dry. There was no loss of trees but the size of the fruit was definitely affected, reported another farmer. Consistent dry weather can lead to smaller apples but it can also have a positive impact on the taste as well. When there is less water in the fruit the sweetness level of the fruit is also higher.
Apples grow the best when the temperature is moderate, when there is moderate rainfall during the summer as well. Apples are one of the fruits that are more resistant to drastic weather changes but still, the negative impact cannot be ignored. In very wet weather, the apples get mouldy or become bruised. In the case of dry year with average or below average rainfall, the apples may be smaller but they will definitely be sweeter.
Small apples are preferred for eating while large ones are chosen for juicing and making cider for cooking. Many people prefer bigger apples as you can do more with less. With the coronavirus pandemic forcing people to stay indoors, apple picking is one activity that families can do without any fear. As picking season continues, farmers hope that they are blessed with good weather.
