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12 ·The IFP· Halton Hills ·Thursday, September 6, 2012 Dry weather has hit crops hard Continued from pg. 1 THE DAI HYUN TAGE ADVAN AWARD WINNING LINE-UP FINANCING 0 72 % FOR UP TO MONTHS introducing the all new TOTALLY REDESIGNED 2013 SANTA FE 2.0T SE shown Special Introductory Offer FOR UP TO FINANCING MONTHS 0.9 % 48 His wife Heather agrees. "We have heard that some orchards have nothing," said Heather. "It seems some orchards were hit harder than others, perhaps with the lay of the land, or the orchard was more protected by surrounding trees-- it could even be some varieties handled the frost better than others." "We have one row of established trees that ordinarily would produce about three bushels a tree, but will be hardpressed to get three bushels from the entire row," said Brad. "On the other hand, some trees look not too bad." With the freak weather killing off the crop, the Frasers said there are a number of other related businesses that have also been impacted. "Orchards use bees to pollinate their apple blossoms, but with the killing frost, many orchard owners didn't even hire beekeepers to bring in hives for pollination." said Brad. "Not only are the beekeepers out their annual pollination fees, but also have no honey collected as a result." Brad said packers at the Ontario Food Terminal said they doubt there will be any Ontario apples in the grocery stores by January. They will all have to be brought in from other sources. Both Brad and Heather suggest the best thing for people wanting to go out apple picking this fall is to check the orchards' web sites, to see what is available. Otherwise they may make a trip for nothing. The Frasers do have some varieties available and will be open weekends this fall. Other crops like corn and soybeans in Halton have been impacted by the more recent dry summer, with six to eight weeks without rain. Local Halton Hills cash cropper Bill Allison says at this point, the extent of the drought damage to soybeans and corn is an `unknown'. With 350 acres of corn and 700 acres of soybeans, he's concerned about the yields this year. "We know the corn crop (yield) is definitely going to be down for sure," said Allison, "It's just a matter of `how much down' it is." Allison said the drought damage isn't quite province-wide, but does include an area as far west as London, but seems better southwest of London. To the east, he said the Ottawa area was hit with a severe dry spell as well, and the crops out that way will certainly be impacted. "With our soybeans, we're all still uncertain how bad they will be affected," said Allison. "We know the beans will probably do better than the corn, since they received a pretty good rain before it was too late. The other problem with dry weather and soybeans is the spider mites." Spider mites are an insect that can wreak havoc on soybeans as they attack the leaves, turning them prematurely brown. "In a normal year, the (spider) mites are washed off the leaves by rain, so they aren't much of a problem," explained Allison. "But when it's as dry as this year, and for such extended periods, they have been quite a problem." Allison has had the fields sprayed to keep the spider mites in check, but they still came back, and the spraying costs money, taking away from the bottom line. Hay yields in Halton Hills have also been disastrous, with some farmers seeing yields of half of last year's crop. "The first crop was not great," said Allison, "and the second crop (yield) will likely be down as well." As a result, hay prices have skyrocketed to unprecedented levels this summer. In some areas, large round bales and small squares have nearly doubled in price, which is not good news to farmers raising livestock. As a result, many farmers have sent animals to the stock yards earlier than usual, rather then buying expensive hay to make it through the winter. With a glut of animals at the livestock auction, the prices have dropped. Another area that is in question is the maple syrup crop for next year. Because of their sheer size, trees often take a year to react to extremes in their life cycle. Some wonder if this summer's dry spell will impact next spring's maple syrup production. Available Panoramic Sunroof Standard Cooled Glove Box Available Touch-Screen Navigation 5-year/100,000 km Comprehensive Limited Warranty 5-year/100,000 km Powertrain Warranty 5-year/100,000 km Emission W arranty `SOUNDS OF MUSIC IN THE PARK' Invites you to join us for miltonhyundai.com 905-875-1120 TM The Hyundai names, logos, product names, feature names, images and slogans are trademarks owned by Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. Finance offers available O.A.C. from Hyundai Financial Services based on a new 2013 Santa Fe 2.4L FWD/Elantra GT GL 6-Speed Manual with an annual finance rate of 0.9%/1.9% for 48/84 months.Bi-weekly payment is $279/$122. No down payment is required. Cost of Borrowing is $523/$1,420. Finance offers include Delivery and Destination of $1,495 fees, levies, and all applicable charges (excluding HST). Registration, insurance, PPSA and license fees are excluded. Delivery and destination charge includes freight, P.D.E., dealer admin fees and a full tank of gas. Financing example: 2013 Accent 4DR GL 6-Speed Manual for $16,830 at 0% per annum equals $108 bi-weekly for 72 months for a total obligation of $16,830. Cash price is $16,830. Cost of Borrowing is $0. Example price includes Delivery and Destination of $1,495, fees, levies, and all applicable charges (excluding HST). Registration, insurance, PPSA and license fees are excluded. 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Offers available for a limited time, and subject to change or cancellation without notice. See dealer for complete details. Dealer may sell for less. Inventory is limited, dealer order may be required. Hyundai's Comprehensive Limited Warranty coverage covers most vehicle components against defects in workmanship under normal use and maintenance conditions. on Friday, September 14th from 2:30-4pm at the Mill Pond across from Martindale Gardens. Relax to the sounds of Juke-Box (Live Entertainment) Enjoy Afternoon Tea with Homemade Banana Bread Please RSVP by Tuesday, September 11th at Tours will be available. (905)693-8592