FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP --- A fruit farm that lost acres of crops when it was hit by a tornado earlier this summer is preparing for its busy season. The owner of Marshalek's Fruit Farm near Montoursville tells Newswatch 16 business is doing OK. He is hopeful apple cider season will help boost sales.
Apples picked from Marshalek's Fruit Farm travel up a conveyor belt and through a machine and within minutes, apples are pressed into cider.
Cider is a big money maker for owner Raymond Marshalek. The barrels of golden delicious are also a sign.
"Finally fall. That should really help with the sales out. Maybe we are getting out of the summer mind set right now," Marhsalek said.
In July, an EF1 tornado with winds up to 100 miles per hour destroyed acres of fruit trees at the Lycoming County farm.
"As far as from the storm? We dedicated about three weeks to it," said Marshalek.
By that time peach season was in full bloom. Marshalek says he was not able finish cleaning up his fields.
"We stood a lot of things back up and time will tell. I think it's going to be a year or two until you really know what makes it and what doesn't make it," said Marshalek.
The Marshaleks lost about six acres of apples from the storm and most of them were Honeycrisp. The family tells us they still have plenty of these left and other varieties to pick this season.
"It looks a lot better we were worried," said Bill Kuhn from Muncy.
"Totally different. It looks wonderful. It looks like they have really recovered," said Kathleen Way from Montoursville.
Way picks raspberries for her dad at the fruit farm. She lives up the road and tells us her garden was hit by the storm this summer.
"I think they are very hard working at bringing the orchard back and you know providing the fruit to everyone in the community," said Way.
Marshalek's Fruit Farm begins selling its apple cider this week here near Montoursville.