FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS — Jenschke Orchards suspended its customer fruit-picking program for the current season. This decision followed a March freeze that impacted the peach crop.
The orchard, located along U.S. Highway 290, experienced February temperatures in the 80s. These elevated temperatures prompted the peach trees to begin early development. Subsequently, a hard freeze in March caused orchard temperatures to drop below 23 degrees. Peach trees in the Fredericksburg area typically require between 650 and 900 chill hours, measured as cumulative time below 45 degrees, to produce fruit properly.
Lindsey Jenschke, the owner of Jenschke Orchards, reported the loss. Jenschke said, "In that freeze, we lost about 90 percent of our crop." She said, "In a good season, some trees can produce up to 50 pounds of peaches." She added, "But this year, many produced little to none." The farm continues to sell other agricultural products besides peaches. Regarding customer expectations, Jenschke said, "They come in anticipating seeing peaches on the table. It's a disappointment for us too."
No independent assessment of Jenschke Orchards’s claims was available.