<p>May typically marks the beginning of the peach harvest in Texas, but this year, the crop is barely there.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">"You really have to search to see, but every once in a while you'll see one peach," said Dianne Eckhardt, a third generation peach grower at Donald Eckhardt Orchards in Fredericksburg.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">A freeze in late March hit the orchard hard, leaving little to no peach crop. Typically this time of year, growers expect to find peaches every 10-15 inches. This year, however, one of her good trees only carries a few.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Neighboring Engel Orchard is feeling the sting as well, according to KVUE ABC.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Grower Paul Engel says the storm destroyed part of his orchard. Trees were stripped of their leaves, branches scarred by hail, even the remaining peaches have dents.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/texaspeach051513body.jpg" alt="Images 051513" /><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">"I've been around peaches all my life and I"ve never seen anything remotely like this," Engel said, noting that the scarcity of the crop could drive up the price for the consumer.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The farmers will rely on other fruits and vegetables for their bottom line this year. But they still have hope for the famous Hill Country peaches.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>"Optimism is the key to farming," Eckhardt said. They've already been battling the drought in Central Texas, and this break might be just what they need.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>"This is an opportunity to get our tree health back," she explained. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>And she'll keep an eye out for any peaches.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>"If we find some we might make a cobbler," she said.</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.kvue.com/home/Severe-weather-damages-Hill-County-peach-orchards-207449191.html" target="_new">Peach Report</a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
