Moran quoted in Press Herald report on dry, mild fall weather
Renae Moran, a tree fruit specialist with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, spoke with the Portland Press Herald for an article about how Maine’s fall foliage season, as well as the peak apple harvest, are at least a week behind schedule because cool temperatures are just starting to arrive. But the current sunny, dry and milder weather appears likely to continue into next week, creating a smooth transition into fall, according to the article. Although some orchards are harvesting crops that ripen earlier, and many pick-your-own farms are open, Moran said she expects the large-scale commercial harvest to be delayed by a week or two. “They’re getting sweeter now that we have cooler temperatures,” Moran said. “And their color has suddenly become pretty good.” She said apple trees tend to have alternately higher-yield and lower-yield years, and most of the state’s trees are more bountiful this season.