FREDERICKSBURG, Texas — All day, Jenschke Orchards' retail manager has to answer calls from potential customers asking for a Fredericksburg peach, only to tell them they are sold out for the day.
"So we are experiencing about 30% of our normal peach crop, and a large part of that is due to the lack of chill hours," Jenschke said.
Peaches need a certain number of hours in cold conditions, also known as "chill hours," typically below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. It starts from the first frost to around Feb. 1, which is when peach trees begin to "break dormancy."
But this last winter was too mild to bear all the fruits of Jenschke Orchards' labor.
"We have been able to make it through several difficult years, but this is definitely one of the worst. I mean, besides having a total loss," Jenschke said. "The early varieties, which start usually like, mid-May through mid-June, those did really well. Those need about between 600 and 650 chill hours. But the later varieties, which we're entering in right now, those need anywhere between 700 to 900 and we just didn't get that."
The shortage has affected businesses like Wheatsville Food Co-Op.
Marketing Director Nick Conn said the business is not getting its hands on Fredericksburg peaches, so it is supplementing with peaches from Colorado and California instead.
"What we're finding is that our farmers are, instead of selling them wholesale to us, they're deciding that they want to sell them themselves at farmer's markets. So they're just getting a better price per pound than what we could buy them," Conn said.
Due to the shortage, peach picking can't happen at Jenschke Orchards this year. Anyone who wants peaches should call ahead of time at 830-997-8422 to see if there are enough.
Here is a list of all peach growers in the Texas Hill Country.