02/20/06 Cold may have nipped wheat and fruit

Washington Ag February 20, 2006 The artic cold that hit Washington late last week has some farmers worried about their winter wheat. Tom Mick, Washington Wheat Commission CEO, says many areas didn't get much snow to insulate the crop. Mick: "We got high winds 30 mph or better with the cold temperature and you add that on to the wheat was growing pretty good before the cold weather hit, especially in our drier areas the Adams County Franklin County area. So, there are some farmers that are very concerned and we really won't know whether there was any damage for a couple of weeks as farmers dig up plants, wrap them up and put them in the refrigerator and kind of observe it. So, we have some concern right now that we didn't expect." Yakima County extension agent Dana Faubion says some stone fruits could also have suffered damage. Faubion: "Pears, apples are generally fine. Some of the peaches, nectarines and apricots and some of the cherries, just a few certain cherries may be a risk." Growers had to decide whether at today's high fuel prices, it was worth firing up equipment to provide some heat to save their crop so early in the season. I'm Bob Hoff.