April freeze destroyed fruit at Apple Annie's Orchard in Willcox

A popular orchard in Willcox was unable to save cherries and peaches from freezing when a cold front hit in early April.

"We are devastated to share that on April 7, while most of our orchards were in full bloom, an extremely cold front came through and the temperatures dropped below 20 degrees for an extended period," the operators of Apple Annie’s Orchard, located about 85 miles east of Tucson, said in a Facebook post May 2.

Despite using every form of frost protection, they were unable to save the fruit, they said.

The entire cherry and peach crops were lost, and the orchard anticipates 90% or more of its apples and pears were lost, too.

The orchard will still open in July, but there will not be any you-pick fruit until later in the season depending on the apple crop.

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“You can come enjoy everything else we offer, pies, cider donuts, slushies, fudge, apple bread and enjoy walking through the orchards,” the Facebook post said. “We are working on finding good quality already picked fruit to bring in.”

The freeze did not affect the orchard's vegetable farm, including its pumpkins that will be available in the fall.

"We appreciate your support of our family business through the good years and the bad," the Facebook post said. 

Apple Annie’s is at 2081 W. Hardy Road in Willcox.