Valley farmers worry about frigid temperatures

FRESNO, Calif.

We're at Keith Nilmeiers farm and he's well known in the valley for using peach pits to heat up his citrus groves when it gets really cold.

Ironically enough -- it's not his oranges he's worried about because most of them have already been picked.

Rather it's his peaches and apricots that'll be getting his full attention.

Valley grower Keith Nilmeier will be keeping a close eye on his stone fruit trees Saturday night.

The below freezing temperatures could damage his peaches and apricots.

"I'd say at 30 degrees we're ok. If we get down to 29 and 28 then we're starting to lose just again like citrus. Time duration and temperature," Nilmeier said.

Some of his apricot trees are already in bloom.

He explains how the frigid temperatures could affect the crop from being harvested in the spring.

"You have the flower. And inside that flower you've got the pistol, what we call a pistol inside which is your fruiting part and it just hasn't been pollinated yet."

The harvest season doesn't start until the end of May but if the trees don't get pollinated now growers like Nimleier could lose up to 25-percent of his crop.

One thing some growers will try and do to their blooms is spraying on non-harmful chemicals to help insulate and protect the product.

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