News

Your Favorite NJ Summer Fruits Are Gone. Here’s Why.

By Peter Candia

April 29, 2026

By Peter Candia

April 29, 2026

Peter Candia

Peter Candia

Huge temperature swings—including an April freeze—are having a drastic effect on New Jersey farms, and it could dictate what produce is available at the farmers markets this summer.

A South Jersey peach farm, and a South Jersey orchard, each report a total loss of their respective crops due to the freeze. Rowand’s Farm in Glassboro saw its entire cherry crop wiped out just weeks before cherry-picking season began. Meanwhile, Heilig Orchards in Mullica Hill is experiencing a massive wipeout on peaches—resulting in near-certain scarcity ahead of stone fruit season.

What Happened

Record heat in early April triggered early blossoming for many crops, followed by sharp temperature drops. Sustained overnight temperatures of 25-27°F were enough to kill developing fruit. At Rowand’s Farm, the entire crop of cherries was wiped out basically overnight after temperatures below freezing held for more than six hours on April 20.

As a response, NJ DEP granted emergency open burning permits. Farmers utilized smudge pots, controlled fires, and helicopters in an attempt to tackle frost and potentially save crops. But the damage was already done—and we are now facing a spring and summer produce season that will undoubtedly look different.

The Damage

At Heilig Orchards, 200 acres of peaches were lost—that’s 70,000 25-pound half-bushel boxes. Additionally, apples, pears, and asparagus were heavily damaged, according to NBC.

Crop insurance is expected to provide partial relief, but farm owner Carl Heilig says it won’t be enough. “This is catastrophic! I doubt folks will be able to find any peaches at all in New Jersey,” he said, suggesting the stone fruit will be difficult to come by this year, and those that are available will be significantly more expensive.

Over in Glassboro at third-generation Rowand’s Farm, the entirety of the cherry crop was wiped out, which owner Stephen Rowand tells Fox29 “has never happened in my lifetime.” As a result, the cherry-picking farm will not open for the 2026 season—and no income is expected for the entire year as a result. “There is nothing alive, nothing to pick, nothing to sell. Nothing to have. No income for a whole year.”

The loss of the cherry crop comes just a year after Rowand retired from growing strawberries, and closed his farm stand—cherry picking is the entire business now. And this year, it won’t open for even a day, putting an entire year’s worth of profits in the trash.

Despite the devastation, Rowand is focused on the future. A GoFundMe was set up to mitigate damages, and help fund operations so cherry picking can return next year.

These late April freezes don’t just affect farmers’ pockets or our shopping baskets—less crops means reduced labor needs, which puts seasonal farm workers out of much-needed income, underscoring the wide-ranging effects of severe and fluctuating weather on the agricultural economy.

For New Jersey farmers—and the people who enjoy their hard work—it’s going to be a rough season.

Peter Candia

Peter Candia is the Food + Drink Editor at New Jersey Digest. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Peter found a passion for writing midway through school and never looked back. He is a former line cook, server and bartender at top-rated restaurants in the tri-state area. In addition to food, Peter enjoys politics, music, sports and anything New Jersey.