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Rotten news: New Jersey's beloved peach crop devastated by April cold snap
By
Walter Wuthmann
Published May 14, 2026
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John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images
By
Walter Wuthmann
Published May 14, 2026
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Well, isn’t that just peachy?
New Jersey farmers and agriculture officials are despondent this spring, saying last month’s historic warming and freezing cycle devastated much of the Garden State’s iconic peach crop.
The stone fruits, known for their sweet taste and yellow flesh, are a summertime staple at markets throughout the area.
“ This is a big, big loss to the region,” said Kurt Alstede, owner and general manager of Alstede Farms in Chester, New Jersey. “ In 45 years in the industry, I have never seen an event that was as broad geographically, as widespread, and as indiscriminate as this.”
The losses have farmers wondering how they’ll get through the peak summer season and calling for financial relief from the state. New Jersey is the fourth-largest producer of peaches in the country and the juicy orbs are a major tourism draw.
New Jersey peaches are mainly sold along the East Coast and in Canada. That means they’re “picked at the peak of freshness when they don’t have to travel 3,000 miles,” Alstede said. “And in that final stage of ripening, the flavor profile really, really matures.”
A spokesperson for the New Jersey Department of Agriculture said they’re still calculating the full extent of the crop damage, and plan to release an assessment later this month.
Temperatures across North Jersey and New York climbed into the 80s and 90s in mid-April — more than 20 degrees above average. A dip in the jet stream then brought a mass of cold air the night of April 20, plunging temperatures well below freezing and shocking the Garden State’s gardens.
“This was extreme,” New Jersey State Climatologist David Robinson said in an interview. “We're talking a 70-degree change in temperature.”
Alstede said those few days of warming led to “explosive” new growth on his farm. “Then boom, that real cold temperature, and things were especially vulnerable.”
Alstede said he and his team worked through the night to try to save as much of the young crop as possible. They lit hundreds of frost candles – 5-gallon buckets full of kerosene – to heat the area around the trees and help circulate the heavy cold air. They also used tractors to drag “frost dragons” — propane-powered engines that blow warm air — through the orchard.
Alstede estimates he still lost about a quarter of his peach crop, as well as some of his strawberries and blueberries. “Everything experienced some damage. It’s incredible,” he said.
Others appear to have suffered worse.
“A lot of the peach farms down near me were filled with flowers,” said Lewis DePietro of Cherry Lane Farms in Bridgeton, who sells strawberries at the farmer’s market in Union Square. “Now I drive by and see the trees and I don’t see any peaches, barely.”
Allen Carter, president of the nonprofit New Jersey Farm Bureau, said some peach farmers have reported losing half their crop. He wants the state to step in to provide disaster assistance funding.
“It’s going to be a really rough year for farmers between the frost, the fuel, labor, and insurance,” Carter said.
“ The majority of farmers don't want handouts. They just want to be able to grow their crops,” he added. “But when Mother Nature speaks, not much they can do.”
“Once assessments are complete, we will move quickly to connect farmers with critical support, including crop insurance and other available state and federal resources,” New Jersey Department of Agriculture spokesperson Bella Walz wrote in a statement.
In the meantime, Alstede said he wants people to know there will still be New Jersey peaches this summer.
“It’s going to run out maybe a little bit sooner, but still plan that trip with your family,” he said. “More than ever, growers need to sell what they have.”
Michael Sol Warren contributed reporting to this story.
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Health and Science
Politics
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new jersey
Walter Wuthmann
Walter Wuthmann is a reporter covering public safety and the legal system.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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