North Carolina
It's Peach Season in North Carolina
Peach season has arrived and it’s as sweet and juicy as ever. From the mountains to the beach and all the lakes and farmland in between, peaches represent that quintessential summer treat. What many North Carolinians may not know is that our very own state grows its fair share of these delectable stone fruits.
Between 2017 and 2022, the number of peach farms and total peach acreage increased in North Carolina. As of the 2022 Census of Agriculture, North Carolina had 356 peach farms on a total of 1,273 acres.
So buy yourself a bushel at a roadside stand, unfold your lawn chair, and dig into some fun facts about North Carolina’s perfect peaches.
Not all peaches are created equal. Plant breeders at several land-grant universities across the country spend decades developing unique varieties tailored to regional climates, pest pressures, and diseases while ensuring excellent texture and flavor. Like other fruit trees, peaches need to spend a certain number of hours at cold temperatures in the winter to bear fruit and avoid spring frost damage. North Carolina farmers are able to grow peaches today because NC State’s now-retired peach breeder developed varieties specifically suited to North Carolina’s climate.
“Anything we want to grow here in North Carolina has high chill requirements — around 1,000 or more chilling hours,” says Jeremy Martin, superintendent of the Sandhills Research Station in Montgomery County. “But folks south of us want 850 or less because they don’t have to worry as much about spring freezes. A lot of Clemson’s releases therefore have lower chilling hours with earlier bloom times. Luckily, we still have NC State varieties that are reliable for our climate, but they’re unlikely to be improved upon over time.”
Chilling hours: the number of total hours that a fruit tree must spend in temperatures below 40°F during the dormant (winter) season.
Since NC State University’s peach breeder retired several years ago, the university has partnered with Clemson University and the University of Arkansas to continue breeding peaches.
“The peach industry in North Carolina has changed a lot,” Martin says. “The pack-and-ship peach industry is almost completely gone with the closest operation in Macbee, South Carolina. Most of the peach growers in North Carolina are growing more for the fresh market in their immediate areas on less than 100 acres. Social media has helped a lot with getting the word out about their peaches.”
The Sandhills Research Station was originally founded as a working peach farm. It has since been used by breeders and researchers across academic departments for its unique soil type. The area’s namesake sandy soils drain quickly, allowing faculty to put peach trees and many other crops through severe stress tests to develop better solutions to a changing climate.
“Maybe I’m biased, but peaches from the Sandhills just taste better,” Martin says. “Because of the sandy soils that drain water, sugar builds up in the fruit. If we get hot and dry conditions when the peaches get ripe, they’ll be really sweet and juicy.”
The bottoms of young peach tree stems (pictured here) are painted white to protect the young bark of the tree from herbicides when they spray for weed control, but it wears off over time.
North Carolina
North Carolina couple accused of causing vulture invasion sued by furious town: ‘Not good neighbors’
A North Carolina couple accused of luring hordes of vultures to their home and unleashing chaos on neighbors for years is being hauled to court by fed-up town officials desperate to end the feathered frenzy.
The Town of Hillsborough slapped residents Kenneth and Linda Ostrand with a civil petition, seeking a court order to shut down their relentless bird-feeding habit, blamed for allegedly drawing dozens of winged scavengers to their home and terrorizing their small town for the past two years.
“They’re a little spooky to be frank,” concerned neighbor Holden Richards told WTVD.
“Everybody thinks they’re ugly and stuff but they’re not good neighbors. They have sharp talons, so they’re not great animals to have perching on your house. I watched them pick tiles off my neighbor’s roof and I found tiles from my roof in my front yard, so I have a feeling that’s exactly where they came from.”
The bird-brained couple is accused of leaving out food scraps for vultures, allegedly reeling in the feathered predators that have swarmed and roosted near their house, leaving foul-smelling droppings on neighbors’ homes and vehicles and causing widespread property damage deemed a risk to public safety.
The complaint, filed in March, also claims the twisted pair named the birds of prey – with eerie photos submitted to the court showing dozens of vultures circling their Queens Street home, the outlet reported.
“I’m pretty sure that every one of my neighbors has probably called,” Richards said, pointing to a flood of complaints made to town officials since May 2024.
The Ostrands reportedly filed a motion to dismiss the town’s case last month, denying the accusations.
Linda Ostrand, a longtime wildlife rescuer, told WTVD she is being unfairly targeted by her community and claimed the circling creatures were already an issue before she moved into the neighborhood.
“It’s sort of, it’s ridiculous, is what it is,” Linda said, noting the town changed an ordinance after the initial wave of complaints to ban wildlife feeding beyond standard feeders.
“If people didn’t have vultures around here you would hear them screaming bloody murder about the town not cleaning up the animals that have been hit by cars, because that’s what they do, they are nature’s garbage disposal,” she continued.
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, tell the vultures that this is a no-feed zone. I just don’t know.”
No court date has reportedly been scheduled for the couple’s fight with the town.
North Carolina
Businesses worry of potential impacts as Marion tightens water restrictions amid drought
MARION, N.C. (WLOS) — The City of Marion is tightening water restrictions as drought conditions persist across western North Carolina, prompting local businesses to prepare for possible impacts on daily operations.
The drought monitor released on Thursday, May 14, shows that extreme drought now covers 90% of western North Carolina.
ASHEVILLE IS MORE THAN 7 INCHES BELOW AVERAGE RAINFALL THIS YEAR, DATA SHOWS
As the region continues moving into a hotter and drier pattern, the City of Marion officials announced Stage Two water shortage restrictions less than a month after issuing a Stage One Water Advisory.
Businesses in Marion said the quick escalation is raising concerns about what could come next if drought conditions persist.
“They put us in stage one at the end of April and already it’s not through, it’s not the end of May and they’re already putting us in stage two,” said Barbara Brown, owner of Bruce’s.
Under the Stage Two restrictions, watering lawns, gardens and golf courses will be prohibited. Washing cars, filling residential swimming pools and serving water in restaurants except upon request will not be allowed.
Brown said her restaurant is already taking steps to conserve water.
“We check the bathrooms often to make sure people have turned the water off because we have found from time to time, people leave them running,” she added.
She said she worries stronger restrictions could eventually force businesses to make bigger operational changes.
“I’m concerned that eventually we might have to go to paper plates, paper cups, silverware,” Brown said.
Other businesses are also considering adjustments.
Kat Garner, a tattoo artist at Blue Ridge Tattoo, said water shortages could affect how the shop operates day to day.
LEADERS URGE WATER CONSERVATION AS DROUGHT DEEPENS ACROSS WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
“We would definitely be reduced to using distilled water for everything, which would become harder if everyone’s buying it out, so that would definitely make things a little bit more difficult,” Garner said.
The Stage Two water restrictions are set to begin Friday, May 15, at 8 a.m. and will last until further notice.
North Carolina
Police: North Carolina man charged after high-speed chase in Erie County, arrested in the Town of Perry
PERRY, N.Y. — A North Carolina man is in custody after a chase that started in Erie County and ended with an arrest in Perry.
Wyoming County Sheriff’s deputies say Ericson Vasquez-Moran, 22, rammed a Border Patrol vehicle in Erie County around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday before taking off. The suspect was spotted in Warsaw on Route 20A, but a chase was called off due to high speeds.
Then around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, deputies say Vasquez-Moran called 911 from Perry to surrender.
He’s charged with speeding, failure to keep right, unlawful fleeing a police officer, reckless driving, and reckless endangerment in the second degree.
Vasquez-Moran was given an appearance ticket for the Village of Warsaw Court and was released to the custody of the United States Border Patrol.
-
San Francisco, CA5 minutes agoWhere to Find Free Street Parking for Shows in San Francisco | KQED
-
Dallas, TX11 minutes agoDallas Stars Forward Would Be Perfect Trade Target for NY Rangers
-
Boston, MA23 minutes agoJetBlue to pull out of N.H.’s largest airport amid capacity crisis, officials announce – The Boston Globe
-
Denver, CO29 minutes agoDenver area events for May 15
-
Seattle, WA36 minutes agoFriday Roundtable: Free Summer Shuttles
-
San Diego, CA41 minutes agoSix concerts to fill your musical soul this week in San Diego County
-
Milwaukee, WI47 minutes agoFive teenagers arrested following police pursuit in Milwaukee
-
Atlanta, GA53 minutes ago2 Giant Pandas Are Headed to This US Zoo. Meet Ping Ping and Fu Shuang