“Winter-Kill” Costing Area Farmers Millions of Dollars
Adirondack Farms planted soybeans to replace some of its damaged alfalfa.
By John T. Ryan
Peru – The average person probably didn’t notice, but last winter’s thaw-freeze weather ruined many farmers’ alfalfa crop costing them millions of dollars. Acre after acre of alfalfa hay was devastated by what farmers call “winter kill.” Farmers in Clinton County, Franklin and St. Lawrence Counties experienced significant crop losses. Dr. Kitty O’Neil, Cornell University Cooperative Extension Field Crops and Soils Specialist, said “I’ve worked in this area for seven years. This is the worst year for winter kill since I’ve been here.”
Dr. O’Neil said this region experiences two types of winter kill, especially in low-lying areas and along lake shores. She said, “The thaw-freeze conditions result in big sheets of ice on the soil surface killing the underlying alfalfa roots. There are low-lying areas where there have been huge kills. Crops near lake shores are also endangered. Snow blows on the fields and kills both alfalfa and grass.” The Chazy area is especially subject to this condition.
Alfalfa seed typically yields a crop for 5 or 6 years at an estimated total cost of up to $500 an acre. Adirondack Farms in Peru lost 2,000 acres or about $1 million of a very important crop. Alfalfa is an important nitrogen source crop reducing the need to apply expensive nitrogen fertilizers. Unable to harvest much of his alfafa, Adirondack Farms owner Jon Rulfs has been forced to replace it with corn, soy beans and a triticale – peas combination. Planting these crops is another unplanned expense.
Posted: July 31st, 2019 under Agricultural News, Business News, Northern NY News, Peru/Regional History, Weather News/History.