<p>Texas peach farmers have had it rough again this season and more reports are still rolling in. Severe weather events including drought, freezes, and now hail have led growers to expect a meager crop.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">A Fairfield, Texas area grower tells AndNowUKnow that the conditions cut the crop back to about 65% -70%, however it may mean that the fruit is better sized.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Other crops, including apricots and plums, were also hurt by the unusual weather.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">"The damage is pretty widespread," said Jamey Vogel, owner of Vogel Orchard in Stonewall and President of the Hill Country Fruit Council.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/shutterstock_82439986.jpg" alt="IMAGES - MAy 22 2013" /><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Over the past decade, Ricky Priess, owner of Gold Orchard, has had five years with little to no crops at all and only had a bumper crop in 2010. In the past four years, he has lost 20 acres of peach trees. The pressure has led many growers to diversify their sources of income, according to the Star-Telegram. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Other growers, like Russ Studebaker owner of Studebaker Farm have resorted to measures that ranging from plastic tents that cover the trees to prevent freeze damage to delaying blooms with hormone treatment, and even using a helicopter to fan hot air from fires to warm the trees during freezing nights.</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.star-telegram.com/2013/05/20/4870358/drought-freeze-hail-pummel-central.html"<a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" >Peach Report</a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
