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By DAPHNE HUTCHINSON Rappahaamrii W Staff Wriirr
In past years, local orchardists have suffered from late frosts, early freezes, hail storms, too much rain, too little rain, not enough sun and other plagues that left them paying for the privilege of growing apples and peaches rather than earning a return on their labors.
This year, however. Mother Nature has cooperated, at least in Rappahannock. There were no droughts or freezes to interrupt the growing season, no downpours of hail to leave pitted, unmarketable fruit. According to extension agent Rap Owings, the 1981 peach crop is excellent while apples, the county’s biggest money maker, bend tree branches under a bumper load of red and golden delicious, winesaps and staymans.
Still, Rappahannock orchardists are postponing their harvest celebrations, holding their breaths ' until the powers that be in the apple world — canneries and processors like National Fruit and Musselman — make their offers for this year’s crop. Optimism, if there is any, is very guarded. "It’s a big question mark. The processors are not going to pay anything more than they have to,’’ remarked Sam Snead. Washington apple grower who’s been an active member and local representative in various marketing and producers’ associations.
To date, only rambos and a few other summer varieties are ready for harvest. According to local orchardist Alice Wood, the canneries are paying S3.SO per 100 pounds (2'/i bushesl), only 25 cents more than last year’s price of $3.35.
’’We have a very good crop...We won’t have any trouble disposing of our apples,” said Mrs. Wood.
This hasn’t always been true. In recent years, local orchardists haven’t been able to find processors to buy their early apples, no matter what the price. And while the buyers are there this year, Snead isn’t smiling about the SI.40 per bushel his rambos are bringing. "But we have to send them in for that or else let them rot. The big processors are going to steal as many apples as they can. They know the growers aren’t organized.’’
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