Cold nights, high stakes: Dover strawberry farmers fight to save crops

Cold temps impacting crops

One farmer in Dover is deploying every tactic to save his strawberries. FOX 13's Jennifer Kveglis reports.

DOVER, Fla. - As temperatures plunge across the Bay Area, strawberry farmers in Dover are bracing for the toll the cold could take on their crops.

At Parkesdale Farms, co-owner Gary Parke and his crew have been working around the clock, walking the fields overnight and turning on irrigation systems to freeze and insulate the plants. The technique helps preserve strawberries that can survive temperatures at or above 32 degrees, but anything colder could be catastrophic.

Crews are rotating five- to six-hour shifts, battling blustery conditions as overnight lows dip into the 20s.

Strawberries are especially vulnerable during a freeze, particularly the blossoms. Parke says the white flowers currently on the plants are crucial, as each one becomes a ripe strawberry in about 21 days.

While Parke expects many of the red, already-ripened berries won’t survive the cold, he’s optimistic about the blossoms. He says the colder temperatures could actually result in sweeter strawberries once they’re ready for harvest.

Parke compares the high-risk nature of farming to professional football, where success depends on a short, critical window. "They make all their money in 16 weeks of football," Parke said. "We kind of make all of our money in roughly four months to five months of harvest, so when you lose one of those months, it hurts a bit."

Big picture view:

The impact of this cold snap could extend well beyond Dover.

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson warned of potential crop losses statewide in a letter sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday. In that letter, Simpson called for a federal disaster declaration, which would open the door to federal assistance and relief programs for Florida farmers facing losses tied to the freeze.

It won’t be immediate. Parke says it could take about a week before he knows what ultimately survived these chilling nights. Once temperatures warm up, crews will need roughly three days to assess the fields and evaluate the damage.

READ: Plant City farmers sacrificing this week’s harvest to save strawberry season — here’s why

What's next:

Freeze warnings remain in effect, and irrigation systems will continue running overnight until the cold spell passes. After that, farmers will begin assessing losses and planning the rest of the season.

Parkesdale Farms has temporarily suspended its popular u-pick strawberry operation for the next few days until conditions improve.