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PICK-YOUR-OWN (PYO) and ALREADY PICKED FRUIT

Carandale Farm has strawberries, raspberries, grapes and other little-known fruit available for PYO and pre-picked sales.  Other seasonal offerings that may be available include: pears, plums, cherries, aronia, sea berry, currants, gooseberries, blackberries and elderberries.

We hope you'll enjoy your experience at our farm and are able to visit us at the Dane County Farmer's Market in downtown Madison on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

~~~ DAILY UPDATE ~~~

DUE TO EXTREMELY UNUSUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT WHEN BERRY SEASON WILL START, AVAILABILITY & PRICING

Please continue to monitor this message for update info regarding our 2012 berry season.

YA GOTTA LOVE IT--the downside of perennial cropping systems when nature reverses itself.

Record braking temperatures in March cause perennial plants to break dormancy a full 4-6 wks earlier than normal.  April has been characterized by dry northerly winds resulting in dew points well below freezing most nights.  Low dew points and cloudless conditions result in radiation cooling that can cause temperatures at ground level to be 15 degrees cooler than officially reported air temperature.  These extreme temperature inversions are particularly detrimental to low growing shrubs and are especially devastating to strawberry plants that have mulch between the rows.  Mulch between the rows concentrates radiation cooling effect through the plants because they become the primary heat source for radiation into the atmosphere.  Fruit buds are the most cold sensitive part of any plant, and are the first to be damaged or destroyed by freezing conditions.  An entire crop can be lost without any visible damage to the leaf structure.

The most efficient and effective method for frost protecting low growing plants such as strawberries is to use sprinkler systems to provide an alternative source of heat to offset the radiation cooling effect.  As water freezes, it releases significant "heat of fusion" and maintains plant temperature at 32 degrees as long as there is sufficient application to maintain some wetness on the surface of the ice covering that is forming on the plants as it freezes and release heat of fusion.  Even sensitive fruit buds and flower parts will not be damaged at temperatures above 30degrees.  If rate of application is too low and/or you run out of water to apply, the ice covering that has formed provides no insulation whatsoever, and freeze damage will occur as long as radiation cooling continues.  It is there critical to keep sprinklers running until the ice covering starts to melt indicating a radiation reversal.

Another method of frost protection for larger shrubs, vines and trees include adding heat with smudge pots and LP gas burners.  In the case of radiation freezes, wind machines provide protection by mixing the warmer air above with the cooler air below.  In some larger operations in the US and other countries, helicopters are sometimes used for this purpose.

Bottom line is that frost protection is both costly and can have varying degrees of effectiveness depending on conditions.  Cold air mass freezes accompanied with wind is nearly impossible to protect against.  We are doing what we can, and are using our best judgment and resources at hand to protect our strawberry crop, but success is not guaranteed.  Early blooming varieties are most at risk,  10-20% of crop potential may already have been lost, and we have a long way to go unless weather conditions turn back into our favor.

We have not even attempted to protect our other perennial crops with the exception on 1.5 acres of Aronia next to our strawberry fields.  Freeze loss will be extensive and will provide a great test for our unusual fruits test plot.  The full extent of loss will not be evident until after June Drop (which may be in May this year.

If you have any questions, please call our 24-hour Hotline at (608) 835-3979 or call (608) 835-5871 during business hours.

Sorry, we do not ship produce because we cannot guarantee quality and freshness.