Farmers in Colorado face tough season after sudden freeze hits early fruit

Colorado’s fruit growers are dealing with a harsh truth this year. A late spring freeze wiped out peach and other stone fruit crops on the Western Slope, even though winter had been unusually warm and dry. One farm, Ela Family Farms, confirmed that none of their peaches survived the sudden drop in temperature. Despite running heaters and wind machines all night, the cold was too intense and lasted too long. The trees themselves are fine, but the fruit is gone.This isn’t the first time growers have faced spring freezes, but usually some fruit makes it through. Not this year. Three out of five vendors at Boulder County Farmers Markets reported total losses. Experts say the problem started with winter’s unseasonable warmth, which made trees bloom too early. When the freeze hit, the young fruit had no chance. Even with constant monitoring and last-minute efforts, the damage was unavoidable. The market’s update highlights how fragile farming can be. Every peach that reaches a store shelf is the result of perfect conditions—right weather, no pests, and just enough rain. When one thing goes wrong, like an unexpected cold snap, entire harvests can disappear.