A summer of weather extremes posed challenges for farmers
(World News USA)

This weekend`s hot weather isn`t welcome in the region`s apple orchards. After a damp, cool summer, trees were laden with fruit. But the heat is causing them to ripen rapidly, in many cases falling to the ground before the fruit can be harvested. `We need cool nights and sunny days, 70 to 72 degrees,` said Larry DeVoe of DeVoe`s Rainbow Orchard in Halfmoon. `We haven`t been getting that.` For farmers and orchards, this growing season has been one of extremes. Heavy rains at the beginning of July left farm fields flooded. Cool temperatures slowed the germination of seeds. ......