If you know where to look you can see tiny peaches already on trees, a good sign especially if you grow or eat them. We could find them at grocery stores earlier this year because the weather has cooperated. Kathy Taylor, a scientist with the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences says the 2001 peach crop has the potential to be the best crop since the early nineties. "If everything works out well it should be one of the best crops we've had in a decade and I think that we'll probably get through this cold weather hopefully." Kathy Taylor with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The peach crop received 13-hundred chill hours this year, the most in 19 year, which has caused the buds to come on much earlier than normal. Amid all the blooms and buds, there are also small peaches already growing. Georgia grown peaches could hit the National and International markets first this year, as much as seven to ten days earlier than those grown in rival California. If Georgia peaches hit the market first, growers in the state could get about twenty five cents per pound. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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The rains which fell over Georgia in early to mid March caused some rivers and streams to rise to near flood level. Many farm ponds are now at their highest level in some time. But the State Climatologist and Professor of Engineering at the University of Georgia says the rains brought little relief from the drought. "While it may appear that this would have a major impact on the drought, in reality it does not. Soil moisture throughout the state, especially in the Northern third and the Southern third is still much below normal." David Stooksbury with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences , who adds without additional rains in the coming weeks the recovery on rivers and creeks will be short, and water flow could return to near record low levels. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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Farmers count on nitrogen products to help get corn and cotton off to a good start during the spring. These include liquid nitrogen and ammonium nitrate. But an Agronomist with the University of Georgia Extension Service says most nitrogen fertilizer products will have a higher price tag this year. He adds there could be a thirty percent increase for ammonium nitrate. The main reason for the price increase is skyrocketing natural gas prices. "This is directly related to the natural gas prices, they use natural gas as one of the components of making nitrogen fertilizers." Glen Harris with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Farmers that might consider switching to a cheaper nitrogen fertilizer product should first make sure it is suited for their fields, since all products are different. Also, check the results of soil samples so you will apply the correct amount. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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Between 1998 and 2000, the number of irrigated acres in the state increased only about two percent. This means Georgia now has about 1.5 million acres of irrigated farmland. Kerry Harrison, an Engineer with the University of Georgia Extension Service says since 1998 vegetable crops had the largest increase in irrigated acreage. "They're looking at vegetables because of the high cash value per acre that you can produce with that crop as long as the market holds up and those acres are typically irrigated with drip irrigation." Kerry Harrison with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, who adds the water sources for irrigation systems continues the same trend as in the past. Ground water supplies about 61 percent and surface water about 38 percent of agricultural water in the state. The other one percent comes from wastewater sources. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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Most of us are familiar with the standard cantaloupe in the grocery store or fruit stands along the highway. But there are other cantaloupes with a variety of colors both for the flesh and the rind. George Boyhan, a scientist with the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences says another common type of cantaloupe is what we know as the honeydew melon. "It is the same genus and species, they just group it in a different group of melons and they have different groups based on certain characteristics that the melons have." George Boyhan with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Another common type of cantaloupe is the muskmelon, sometimes referred to as a mush melon. The University scientists says these melons tend to soften quickly when ripe. Muskmelons are also more susceptible to injury, since they don't have rind netting. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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