FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                             CONTACT: Victoria Groetsch

August 11, 2008                                                                                                                                           973-641-7685

 

SUMMER HAIL STORM CLAIMS THE LIVLEHOOD OF AREA FARMERS

 

(VINELAND, August 11) - A surprise hail storm hit isolated farms in East Vineland wiping out entire fields full of summer crops.  Many residents in the area didn't even get a drop of rain, while some local farms weathered an hour long massive hail storm late Sunday evening. 

 

Golf ball sized hail fell from the sky around 8:30 p.m. tearing fields of leaks, beets, cilantro, peaches, etc. to shreds.  As one area farmer, Wayne Groetsch of Victoria Farms surveyed his fields after the hail passed he realized all the crops he had scheduled to be picked in the coming weeks were nothing but sticks and shredded leaves burnt by the icy cold hail. 

 

"I'm done.  This storm was an act of God that wiped out my entire field and annual earnings in one hour."

 

Such a severe, cold storm at the height of the summer growing season is detrimental to the agriculture industry.  New Jersey farmers depend on a small window of warm weather during the year to plant, harvest and sell their crops to earn their year's salary.  In one night the local farmers providing us with the best in Jersey fresh lost an entire year.