With the swings in temperature we have seen this past winter, fruit farmers have experienced a lot of ups and downs in thinking about their crop this year too. A cold November was followed by a very warm December, leading to fewer than average chill hours. Then January and February were cooler again, allowing chill hours to accumulate. Frosts in late January, mid-March and early April also contributed to the uncertainty. According to this recent article in Specialty Crop Industry, some farmers are surprised that they even have a crop at all.
