3m 1s: Lenght
3097View

Two weeks of below freezing temperatures in Florida forced strawberry growers to cover their crops with a protective layer of ice. The cold snap began in early January 2010. Night after night temperatues got down in the 20's. Farmers like Matt Parkes of Dover, Florida spent many sleepless nights in the field to ensure their sprinklers worked. The 170 acre Parkesdale Farm its located east of Tampa. It is the largest privately owned strawberry farm in the area which is known as the Winter Strawberry Capital of America. Parkes' grandfather Roy came up with the idea of protecting the berrries by covering them with ice. It keeps the plants at 32 degrees. Up until them farmers could only cover the plants with straw and hope for the best.