New Jersey drought puts stress on blueberry, cranberry harvests
CHATSWORTH, N.J. — The drought in New Jersey is putting serious stress on two of the Garden State's top crops – blueberries and cranberries.
Cranberries harvested in Ocean County this October are some of the best in years, experts say.
"If you buy cranberries now, they're sweeter, they're more concentrated than I've ever tasted them before in my life," said Peter Oudemans, director of the Philip. E. Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research.
Oudemans says that's actually thanks in part to the drought.
"In periods of drought, we have less fungi, and so the fruit qualities actually improve," he said.
The benefits of this drought on the cranberry crop end there.
Cranberry farmer says harvest is "one of the most challenging" in generations
The actual harvest is "one of the most challenging" in generations, said Stephen Lee IV, of Lee Brother's Incorporated in Chatsworth. The seventh-generation farm, part of the Oceanspray Cranberry Cooperative, has to flood its 130 acres of berries with water.
No matter the time of year, before or after harvest, the water level in the reservoir would typically be waist high, but not this year, with the water not even reaching ankle height.
Still, the harvest continued, but it took longer and cost more money.
"This is the first time since we've installed it back in 1997 that we've had to use 100 percent well water," Lee said. "You have to put diesel fuel into an irrigation pump to be able to pump water out of the well."
He said more money was spent on fuel in the last six weeks than all of last year.
"It could be worse, and so we look at it and say you know what, we'll do the best we can," Lee said.
Lee says wildfires worry him, too. To protect his vines, he re-installed sprinklers after the harvest – another first on his farm to combat drought.
Blueberry farmers say they can't remember a drought this severe
"I don't remember a drought this severe, but even talking to some of the guys that have been here for 40 and 50 years, they also don't remember it being this dry," said Brandon Raso, a fourth-generation blueberry farmer and vice president of Variety Farms.
Raso shares his farm in Hammonton, which is known as the Blueberry Capital of the World, produces 4 to 5 million pounds of the superfruit annually. This drought could mean weight loss.
"Water is so crucial for bud development for next year's crop," Raso said.
Bud development happens now. From the buds, next year's blueberries blossom. Raso says the lack of water means you could get a reduced number of buds.
Blueberries and cranberries are both perennials, says Oudemans. Thus, the concern applies to vines, too.
"Less water, you'll have smaller buds, less crop," Oudemans said.
He says the crop is "absolutely" salvageable, but "the question is cost."