In an 'early Tuesday morning news report' from out in Apple Country, grower Kenny Barnwell told WHKP that he fears 70% of the Henderson County Apple Crop has been wiped out due to freezing temperatures that have swept through the orchards in recent days.
Barnwell says there will be apples as there always are due to different altitudes of apple orchards throughout the county, but he fears the damage to the current crop will be similar to the 2020-21 crop which was almost non-existent.
Henderson County was enjoying 'warmer than usual' temperatures in what was being called and 'early spring', which is always an 'alarm to apple growers' and then the weather turned back to winter with many days and nights below freezing which presented a 'death knell' to young buds on trees.
Henderson County is the 17th largest apple-producing county in the United States and generally speaking....."as the apple industry goes, so goes the local economy". A more complete assessment will be made as the season further develops.....and news of which will be presented at this news spot as well as on WHKP AM 1450 and FM 107.7.
