Hard winter shutters apple U-pick

A poor crop following the harsh winter has prompted a P.E.I. apple orchard owner not to open his U-pick operation this year.

Mark Ashley, owner of the Wintermoor Apple Orchard in York, said the weather was a major factor for his trees producing less fruit this year.

"We had a very, very cold period before we got snow which is very troubling to trees. It's stressful," said Ashley.

"Then of course, as everybody knows, winter never went away until it became summer. So we had a rough spring and that was during the pollination period. So the bees weren't able to do a very good job. And because of the type of winter, the blossom was fairly patchy."

To top it all off, he said, he tried to go with more of an organic spray for a spring feeding caterpillar, but it didn't work very well.

Ashley said he's thankful to have a full-time job since the U-pick accounts for most of the income generated from the orchard.