Virginia fruit growers navigate aftermath of sweeping spring freezes May 9, 2026 May 9, 2026 0 SPorter Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save With crop damage ranging from disruption to devastation, fruit growers across Virginia have felt the strain of an exceptionally frigid spring.kAm$E2E6H:56 8C@H6CD ?2G:82E65 2 C@==6C 4@2DE6C @7 6CC2E:4 H62E96C E9C@F89@FE E96 =2E6 H:?E6C 2?5 62C=J DAC:?8[ H:E9 DAFCED @7 DF>>6C 962E 2446=6C2E:?8 E96 8C@HE9 @7 7C@DE\D6?D:E:G6 4C@AD 29625 @7 >F=E:A=6 7C66K6 6G6?ED]k^AmkAmp? 62C=J pAC:= 7C66K6 ?62C=J 564:>2E65 ':C8:?:2’D 2AA=6 2?5 A6249 4C@AD[ H:E9 D@>6 @C492C5D 6IA6C:6?4:?8 E@E2= 4C@A =@DD]k^AmkAm“%96 7C66K6 92AA6?65 2E E96 >@DE D6?D:E:G6 E:>6 @7 7=@H6C 56G6=@A>6?E[ H9:49 :D 7F== 3=@@>[” 6IA=2:?65 $96C:7 |] $96C:7[ ':C8:?:2 %649 2DD@4:2E6 AC@76DD@C @7 A@>@=@8J] “%9:D 92D 366? E96 >@DE 56G2DE2E:?8 52>286 x’G6 D66? D:?46 x DE2CE65 H:E9 ':C8:?:2 %649]”k^Am People are also reading… Privacy laws prevent Smyth school board from commenting on parent allegations Smyth County undertakes groundwork to prepare for potential data center interest Health Commission analysis finds Smyth hospital 'at risk of closure' 'The Coolest Hometown': Actors, stage crew sought to support new play about Marion Smyth County seeks public input on future use of Carnegie School Mount Rogers Community Services makes case for its funding requests Smyth's Octagon House enters new chapter with donation of original materials Commonwealth's Attorney's Office to host church security training for Smyth County Inmate 'died in agony' at Western Virginia Regional Jail, lawsuit claims Three-star cornerback Dozier commits to Virginia Tech Smyth explores billing real estate taxes twice a year Virginia football flips former Penn State commit Semajay Robinson Marion's ArtWalk to feature Ned Johnson's artwork, music by Wayne Dunford Former Virginia Tech Rector John Rocovich sues Gov. Abigail Spanberger over removal Smyth's top prosecutor launches Junior Commonwealth's Attorney Program kAm(9:=6 D@>6 EC66D H6C6 AC@5F4:?8 D64@?52CJ 3=@@>D :? E96 27E6C>2E9[ 2?@E96C pAC:= a` 7C66K6 52D965 9@A6D 7@C E96 92CG6DE D62D@?] ~?=J @C492C5D AC:>2C:=J :? E96 r6?EC2= ':C8:?:2 2C62 DFCG:G65 H:E9 2 7F== 4C@A]k^AmkAm|2C< $FEA9:?[ 2? 28C:4F=EFC6 2?5 ?2EFC2= C6D@FC46D ':C8:?:2 r@@A6C2E:G6 tIE6?D:@? 286?E D6CG:?8 E96 }@CE96C? $96?2?5@29 '2==6J[ C646?E=J >6E H:E9 2C62 @C492C5:DED E@ 6IA=@C6 A2E9D 7@CH2C5 7C@> H92E E96J 566>65 “@?6 @7 E96 H@CDE 7C66K6 6G6?ED E9:D C68:@? 92D 6G6C D66?]”k^AmkAm(9:=6 >2?J @C492C5:DED 2EE6>AE65 E@ 86?6C2E6 962E FD:?8 AC@A2?6 E@C496D[ D>F586 A@ED[ H:?5 >249:?6D 2?5 @E96C 7C@DE >:E:82E:@? >62DFC6D[ :E H2D 23@FE “`_ 568C66D E@@ 4@=5” E@ >2<6 2 5:776C6?46]k^Am kAm“%96 DAC:?8E:>6 :D J@FC @?6 492?46 E@ D6E 7CF:E[” $FEA9:? D2:5] “&?7@CEF?2E6=J[ :E’D 8@:?8 E@ 36 2 G6CJ =:89E 4C@A 7@C >@DE @7 @FC 8C@H6CD]”k^AmkAm(:?6 8C2A6 8C@H6CD H6C6 7:89E:?8 2 D:>:=2C 32EE=6 @? pAC:= a`[ H:E9 G:?6J2C5D 24C@DD E96 DE2E6 C6A@CE:?8 2?JH96C6 36EH66? b_\h_T @7 D9@@E 52>286[ 244@C5:?8 E@ sC6H w2C?6C[ ':C8:?:2 %649 2DD:DE2?E AC@76DD@C @7 G:E:4F=EFC6]k^AmkAm“(96? H6 86E 36=@H ah 568C66D[ E92E’D C62==J H96? H6 DE2CE E@ D66 52>286 @? AC:>2CJ D9@@ED[” 96 6IA=2:?65] “p =@E @7 7CF:E 8C@H6CD FD6 5:776C6?E DEC2E68:6D E@ ECJ E@ 3F776C E96 E6>A6C2EFC6 :? E96:C G:?6J2C5D[ 3FE E9@D6 >6492?:D>D H6C6?’E 6?@F89]”k^Am kAmw2C?6C 25565 E92E :E’D DE:== E@@ 62C=J :? E96 D62D@? E@ 82F86 E@E2= J:6=5 =@DD] |2?J 8C@H6CD 2C6 H@C<:?8 5:=:86?E=J E@ 6?4@FC286 E96 8C@HE9 @7 D64@?52CJ 3F5D[ H9:49 EJA:42==J AC@5F46 23@FE b_T @7 E96 J:6=5 @7 AC:>2CJ D9@@ED] ~E96CD H9@ =@DE 324<FA 3F5D 2C6 724:?8 6G6? DE66A6C =@DD6D]k^Am kAm|2?J 8C2A6 8C@H6CD =62? @? >6>@C:6D @7 E96 “42E2DEC@A9:4” 7C66K6 2C@F?5 |@E96C’D s2J :? a_a_ 7@C A6CDA64E:G6]k^AmkAm“x? D:EF2E:@?D =:<6 E96D6[ J@F C62=:K6 9@H C6D:=:6?E @7 2 4@>>F?:EJ :E :D[ 2?5 9@H 6G6CJ@?6 :D H:==:?8 E@ D2J[ ‘p=C:89E[ 96C6’D 9@H H6’C6 8@:?8 E@ >@G6 7@CH2C5[ 2?5 9@H 42? H6 96=A 6249 @E96Cn’” w2C?6C C67=64E65] “p?5 :E’D @?=J pAC:=—E96C6’D DE:== 2 =@E @7 E:>6 7@C FD E@ D66 H96C6 E9:D J62C :D 8@:?8]”k^Am kAm(9:=6 E96 D6G6C:EJ @7 7C66K6 52>286 E@ E96 DE2E6’D 3=24<36CCJ 2?5 3=F636CCJ 4C@AD :D J6E E@ 36 56E6C>:?65[ 4@?DF>6CD 42? 6IA64E A=6?E:7F= DEC2H36CC:6D E9:D D62D@?]k^AmkAmp7E6C 2 8CF6=:?8 7@FC >@?E9D @7 6I46DD:G6 C@H 4@G6C 2AA=:42E:@?D[ DEC2H36CCJ 8C@H6CD DE:== 92G6 A=6?EJ @7 36CC:6D =67E 29625 @7 72G@C23=6 H62E96C 7@C642DE65 7@C |2J—H:E9 D@>6 62C=J\D62D@? G2C:6E:6D 6G6? 2AA62C:?8 =2C86C 2?5 DH66E6C[ 244@C5:?8 E@ y2J6D9 $2>E2?:[ ':C8:?:2 %649 D>2== 7CF:E tIE6?D:@? DA64:2=:DE]k^Am kAmw6 6?4@FC286D 4@?DF>6CD E@ DFAA@CE =@42= 8C@H6CD]k^Am kAm“xE’D 2=H2JD 2 G6CJ C6H2C5:?8 6IA6C:6?46 7@C 8C@H6CD E@ D66 4FDE@>6CD[ 3642FD6 E96:C >:?5 8@6D 324< E@ 2== E96 92C5 H@C< E92E H2D AFE :?E@ 8C@H:?8 E9@D6 4C@AD[” $2>E2?: C6>2C<65]k^AmkAm“u@4FD @? J@FC =@42= :?5FDECJ[ J@FC 72C> >2C<6ED 2?5 A:4<\J@FC\@H? @A6C2E:@?D—E96J ?665 @FC DFAA@CE C:89E ?@H[” $96C:7 6?4@FC2865]k^AmkAm$96C:7 4@?E:?F6D E@ =625 C6D62C49 :?E@ A@E6?E:2= >:E:82E:@? >6E9@5D 7@C EC66 7CF:E 7C@DE 52>286 2E E96 p=D@? w] $>:E9 yC] p8C:4F=EFC2= #6D62C49 2?5 tIE6?D:@? r6?E6C] %96 E62> :D D66<:?8 =6EE6CD @7 DFAA@CE 7C@> 8C@H6CD 2D E96J 2AA=J 7@C C6D62C49 8C2?ED 2?5 255:E:@?2= 7F?5:?8] vC@H6CD D9@F=5 4@?E24E E96:C =@42= tIE6?D:@? @77:46 7@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@?]k^Am kAmp55:E:@?2==J[ 677@CED 2C6 F?56CH2J E@ 4@>A:=6 :?7@C>2E:@? E@ DFAA@CE 2AA=:42E:@?D 7@C DE2E6 2?5 7656C2= C6=:67 7F?5:?8] p?J 8C@H6CD H:E9 4C@AD :>A24E65 3J C646?E DAC:?8 7C66K6D 2C6 6?4@FC2865 E@ C6A@CE A@E6?E:2= 52>286 E@ E96:C =@42= tIE6?D:@? @77:46]k^Am 0 Comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Privacy laws prevent Smyth school board from commenting on parent allegations A handful of parents were protesting outside the Smyth County Administration building prior to the School Board’s Monday evening meeting. Smyth County undertakes groundwork to prepare for potential data center interest Smyth County has not received a single application from a data center wanting to locate in the community. Health Commission analysis finds Smyth hospital 'at risk of closure' Last week, a report was released to the Governor and state legislators that said 13 Virginia rural hospitals are either at “immediate risk of … 'The Coolest Hometown': Actors, stage crew sought to support new play about Marion The playwright of “The Coolest Hometown” and the team gearing up to stage its production is hoping more community members will join their endeavor. Smyth County seeks public input on future use of Carnegie School The future of the historic Carnegie High School is up for community consideration.
Privacy laws prevent Smyth school board from commenting on parent allegations A handful of parents were protesting outside the Smyth County Administration building prior to the School Board’s Monday evening meeting.
Smyth County undertakes groundwork to prepare for potential data center interest Smyth County has not received a single application from a data center wanting to locate in the community.
Health Commission analysis finds Smyth hospital 'at risk of closure' Last week, a report was released to the Governor and state legislators that said 13 Virginia rural hospitals are either at “immediate risk of …
'The Coolest Hometown': Actors, stage crew sought to support new play about Marion The playwright of “The Coolest Hometown” and the team gearing up to stage its production is hoping more community members will join their endeavor.
Smyth County seeks public input on future use of Carnegie School The future of the historic Carnegie High School is up for community consideration.