Farmers’ hot start yields bumper crop

The pink blossoms started showing up in March, long before their usual appearance. Now, at orchards across New Jersey and Pennsylvania, peaches are being harvested a full two to three weeks ahead of schedule. “People are excited about everything being early,” said Eric Johnson, co-owner of Johnson’s Corner Farm in Medford, where the harvest began Saturday. “Typically, we’d begin picking in the third week of June.” Peaches are shipping to area grocery stores, farm markets, and roadside stands. Other crops, including strawberries, apricots and blueberries, also have come in weeks early. http://bit.ly/MN2YhV