ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Central Florida citrus farmers are gearing up for a long and busy weekend ahead of three expected nights of freezing temperatures.
Meteorologists predict temperatures will dip into the low 20s and wind gusts could exceed 35 mph.
Ahead of the freeze, many growers are adjusting their irrigation systems in order to best protect their crops.
“We are really keeping our fingers crossed that these trees are gonna make it this weekend,” said Tara Boshell, Manager of the Showcase of Citrus.
The 4th generation Clermont farm says they’ve already adjusted their irrigation jets, positioning them to completely cover each and every tree in a mist of warmer lake water.
“What we do is we thermally encapsulate our trees in ice with this little jet. And what it does is it sprays a nice fine mist on the base of the tree,” explained Jackson Arnold, who grew up helping his father manage the farm.
Arnold explained the goal is to create a 32 degree ice blanket, to protect the trees from even frostier temperatures outside.
During the coldest overnight hours, between 3 am and 6 am, Arnold says he’ll be out walking the groves, inspecting each tree to make sure the irrigation system is working. He’ll also monitor temperatures from stationary thermometers to determine when to turn on and off the water.
“It is quite an intricate balance. We have to come out here and monitor non-stop throughout the night,” Arnold said.
Showcase of Citrus told Channel 9 the stakes are high after a freeze in 2022 forced them to replace about 90 percent of the trees on the property.
“We are very nervous,” said Boshell, “We are supposed to drop to 21. I don’t know how long the 21 degrees is going to last, but anywhere below 32 is potential danger.”
Boshell explained it takes about four years for new trees to produce Oranges, so the trees planted in 2022 should be on track for a strong picking season, if they survive the weekend’s cold.
The family farm is one of the few remaining in an area that was once dominated by Citrus growers.
“When you have this massive development boom coming and farmers who have struggled for years trying to keep their crops going, and somebody comes in and offers them millions of dollars for their land, you know, it’s a toss up. But our family is not going to give in,” Boshell said.
The industry has faced several challenges including bad freezes in the 1980s and the spread of Greening disease, which according to the UDSA, caused a 94 percent drop in production in Florida between 2003 and 2023.
Boshell says no matter what mother nature brings this weekend, their farm isn’t going anywhere.
“I always say we’re farmers. We’re not quitters. Whatever happens this weekend, we’re not going to give up,” said Boshell.
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