Schnepf Farms, one of Arizona’s largest peach growers, is making noticeable changes to its upcoming peach season after losing about half of its crop this year due to unusual weather conditions.

According to farm owner Mark Schnepf, the operation experienced a 50% loss in peaches, making this one of the worst seasons he has seen in decades. He noted that the only time comparable to this was about 20 years ago, calling this year’s outcome the second-worst in his experience. The financial impact is significant, with losses expected to reach into the six figures, especially since peaches are the farm’s largest crop.

The primary cause of the reduced harvest is tied to weather patterns in the Phoenix area. This past winter was the warmest on record, which created problems for the peach trees. Schnepf explained that peach trees require a certain number of “chill hours” during the winter—typically between 200 and 300 hours—to properly develop fruit. This year, those conditions were not met, leading to poor production and underperforming trees.

Because of the reduced supply, several changes are being implemented for the 2026 peach season. When visitors begin picking peaches at the farm in May, the price will increase slightly by 15 cents per pound. Schnepf said the increase is necessary to help offset losses, although he acknowledged it will not come close to covering the financial hit. He also emphasized that he intentionally kept the increase minimal to avoid placing too much burden on customers.

In addition to the price adjustment, the farm is scaling back its operations. Schnepf Farms will not offer pre-orders for peaches this season, and it will no longer supply peaches to restaurants, resorts, or specialty events as it has in the past. Instead, the farm will focus solely on serving visitors who come in person to pick their own fruit. Schnepf said these decisions were necessary due to the limited supply.

Another unusual aspect of this year’s season is timing. Schnepf noted that the peaches ripened earlier than he has ever seen, coming in about two weeks ahead of the typical schedule. Normally, harvesting begins in the first week of May, but this year’s early ripening further reflects how the abnormal weather affected the crop.

The situation has been difficult for Schnepf both financially and personally. He expressed disappointment not only over the monetary loss but also over the fact that fewer people will be able to enjoy the peaches this year. He explained that even in a normal season, demand often exceeds supply, and with a reduced crop, it will be even harder to meet customer expectations.

Despite the setbacks, Schnepf remains cautiously optimistic about the future. He said farming always involves uncertainty and that each season must be taken one year at a time. He expressed hope that this year’s conditions were an anomaly and that future seasons will return to more typical growing patterns.

Source: ABC15