<p style="text-indent:0px; line-height:12px;"><span style="font-weight:bold;line-height:130%">Columbia, SC</span><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">By ANUK Staff<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">5.1.13</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>South Carolina strawberry crops are thriving despite recent freezing and wet weather conditions.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Agriculture experts with the Clemson University Extension say berry and peach crops are thriving across the state, but it cannot be explained scientifically. They say these plants are nothing short of survivors, given March’s temperatures that dipped below freezing during the strawberry and peach crop's bloom stage, according to WISTV10.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><script type='text/javascript' src='http://WISTV.images.worldnow.com/interface/js/WNVideo.js?rnd=984591;hostDomain=www.wistv.com;playerWidth=450;playerHeight=175;isShowIcon=true;clipId=8825601;flvUri=;partnerclipid=;adTag=News;advertisingZone=;enableAds=true;landingPage=;islandingPageoverride=false;playerType=STANDARD_EMBEDDEDscript;controlsType=overlay'></script><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.wistv.com" title="wistv.com - Columbia, South Carolina |">wistv.com - Columbia, South Carolina |</a><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">"We measured temperatures of 25 degrees for four to six hours during bloom stage," said Andy Rollins, a Clemson Extension agent in a written release. "For us to have anything after that is a blessing. It doesn't make sense at all scientifically, but we actually appear to have a full crop."</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Joy Cottle, owner of Cottle Farms in Columbia says she's thankful for the crop's resiliency. She said the unusual colder weather gave them a scare during the plant's bloom stage and also delayed the farm's traditional opening date of April 1st. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>"I would open and then I would close for four days because the cold weather would hit, then I would open again and close again," said Cottle. "We were opening up every four or five days for about two or three weeks there. So it was disappointing for people to come out and think the season had started, but we weren't quite ready yet."</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>"When it got down to about the 24 degree night, we got out there the next morning, and we're picking out under the covers and seeing what type damage we had," said Cottle. "We did have a little damage but these plants are survivors, and they're making a beautiful crop right now."</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Despite the adverse conditions, this she is confident this year's crop will be a good one. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Other farms across the state are also thriving despite the colder temperatures in bloom stage and the recent pounding rain, according to the South Carolina Department of Agriculture.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>"While we did receive some excessive rain and the current berries may have sustained some damage, the good news is that strawberries will continue to bloom through June," said Kelly Coakley, the public information director for the SCDA. "Therefore, a few warm, sunny days will put future blooms and fruits right on track."</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href=" http://www.wistv.com/story/22115845/ag-experts-strawberry-peach-crops-defy-scientific-explanation " target="_new">SC Fruit Update</a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
