Comment on Kennebec County orchards damaged to the core

It lasted less than two minutes. But in that time, a combination of hail and strong winds battered much of Lakeside Orchards’ crop, bruising and slicing apples across the Manchester farm’s 50 acres of trees. The orchard wasn’t the only farm in the area hit by Saturday afternoon’s storm, which brought gusts up to 50 mph, heavy rainfall and hail to some parts of Kennebec County. The University of Maine’s research farm in Monmouth, Highmoor Farm, reported significant crop damage from the storm, and Emery Farm in Wayne saw damage to all of its 15 acres of vegetable crops. Renae Moran, university professor and tree fruit specialist for the university’s Cooperative Extension, said the university’s farm suffered a complete apple crop loss because of the hail.