How Growers Can Prep the Right Way for a Hurricane
Another Atlantic hurricane season is here. Living and working in a prime hurricane zone, growers in the Sunshine State are already well-versed in the storm prep drill. But some have mastered the skill to save their crops when Mother Nature gets unruly. Central Florida-based IMG Enterprises has learned to prepare far in advance for the unknown and unexpected.
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The holding company of Cherrylake in Groveland and IMG Citrus based in Vero Beach has more than 10,000 acres of landscape trees, citrus, and other crops stretching across the Sunshine State.
According to IMG Citrus insiders, it takes several days to prepare the groves and the packinghouse for a hurricane threat, so the final call is initiated several days in advance. When a storm is imminent, workers can be found busy storing and securing more than 6,000 harvesting bin units. Once indoor capacity is reached, the remaining harvesting bins are squared off.
Loaded semi-trailers are parked along the side of these bins. Ratchet straps are used to secure the top layers of the bin piles. Semi-trailers are also parked in the receiving area to block wind from the doors of the packinghouse. The massive sunscreen located in the receiving area is removed and stored to protect from potential wind damage. Additional coordination with the sales team helps to tidy up open orders and modify the production schedule as necessary.
“Out in the groves, surface water is reduced to minimal needs, and the water level in the reservoir systems is dropped significantly,” adds Melanie Ressler, co-CEO of IMG Citrus. “This process assures the groves are well-drained as an accumulation of water can be detrimental to the health of the citrus tree roots.”
Flood zones in the groves also are also verified, and dike structures are checked for any potential weak spots. Any remaining equipment in the fields are staged in safe areas to protect from flying debris.
Cherrylake’s tree farm features more than 1,000 acres of trees. In the instance of a hurricane, many of Cherrylake’s trees will be laid down, a process involving the careful tipping of containerized trees and laying them flat on the ground. This process generally takes 1 to 2 days, and post-hurricane pickup adds an additional 3 to 4 days with the requirement of 150 to 200 helpers.
Because of the gravity of the decision to lay down the farm, Cherrylake follows a list of procedures before making any final decisions. A number of items are prepared far in advance, such as keeping replacement items in stock for a faster recovery.
“When the difficult decision is made to ‘lay down’ the farm, further arrangements are made based on the hurricane’s size and projected landfall,” says Todd Gentry, Director of Production at Cherrylake. “Information is shared in a real-time document between Cherrylake’s crews, permitting everyone to see changes as they occur in each section of the farm.”
Cherrylake’s step-by-step process begins with an increase in irrigation for priority crops several days prior to laying down the farm. Next, irrigation emitters are removed as well as holding systems. Finally, trees are neatly laid down in the same direction, so they are easier to pick up after the hurricane has passed.
When the storm is over, the farm is reviewed for any damages, and pickup begins as soon as crews can safely return to work. The same live document used for laying down the farm is also used for picking up the farm. Once trees are standing, a crew re-installs the irrigation emitters, and irrigation starts immediately. After irrigation begins, the plant health team inspects each crop to ensure the hurricane did not transport any pests along with it.
Loading ...Though Cherrylake and IMG Citrus have varying procedures specific to the crop for hurricane preparation, they do share a few of the same processes. Before the season begins, all generators and backup diesel motors are serviced. They also enter a hurricane contingency generator agreement to secure additional generators prior to the hurricane season beginning. As the hurricane looms closer, shutters are installed outside the administration offices for additional protection and loose items outside are moved indoors.
“In order for all of the hurricane preparation processes to move smoothly, proper communication is vital at both Cherrylake and IMG Citrus,” says Michel Sallin, on the Board of Directors for IMG Enterprises. “When a potential hurricane is around the corner, teamwork and clarity are essential to moving swiftly and efficiently.”
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