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In Middlefield, a summer crop is a making a comeback in spring

Decimated by a 2023 freeze, peach buds are already blooming at Lyman Orchards for this season.

MIDDLEFIELD, Conn. — John Lyman has 35 acres dedicated to the peach crop at his 1,200-acre family-run farm in Middlefield, but in 2023, most of those peach fields were destroyed.

A deep freeze in February 2023 killed most of the peach crop at Lyman Orchards and at farms across the area.

“In 2023, we had a cold blast in early February, and it went below zero and knocked out all the peach buds, we only had 10% of the crop," Lyman said. "It was pretty much throughout the region; Connecticut, New York and Northern New England.”

"Pick your own peaches" will almost certainly return to the fields in Middlefield this year; it's a staple of the summer season.

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“The trees had a year to rest, and they are full this year and we have a really good peach crop this season,” Lyman said.

While the peach season usually begins in July, Lyman added the outlook for other popular "pick your own" varieties also looks good as the upcoming summer season approaches.

“All signs are pointing to a very good crop and things will be about on schedule," he said.

Strawberries will be the first crop, starting in early June. After that, it's raspberries, blueberries and peaches.

"We are going to have the whole gamut again and we are pretty excited about that,” Lyman added.

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Jimmy Altman is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at jaltman@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.

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