FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) \u2014\u00a0Fruit growers were among the most concerned after a storm swept through the area this week, according to Fresno County Farm Bureau CEO Ryan Jacobsen.<\/p>\n
A helicopter was deployed shortly after Tuesday\u2019s storm passed through cherry trees in Biola, west of Fresno.<\/p>\n
Grower Stan Grosz said calling in a pilot to dry his trees was a familiar step.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Huey helicopter comes in, blows them off, it\u2019s mostly about shaking them off and getting the water out of the crack by the stem,\u201d Grosz said.<\/p>\n
RELATED:\u00a03 tornadoes officially touched down in Central California Tuesday, NWS confirms<\/a><\/p>\n Grosz said water sitting by the stem can cause cherries to crack, so he acted quickly after the storm.<\/p>\n \u201cOne time a year, we have to get the cherries off and get them to the market,\u201d Grosz said.<\/p>\n He believes the effort helped save his crop.<\/p>\n Not all neighboring farmland fared as well. Jacobsen said damage was observed in a nearby almond orchard following the storm.<\/p>\n \u201cWe definitely see hail damage; the extent is not fully known, and we probably had some wind damage too,\u201d Jacobsen said.<\/p>\n Drone footage from the area showed several almond trees uprooted from the ground, with gusty winds and hail causing the most damage. Jacobsen said some impacts are unavoidable.<\/p>\n \u201cWe try to deal with what mother nature gives us because we have to work hand in hand, it\u2019s not something you work against and just try to make the most of it this upcoming year,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Even growers who escaped damage may still take preventive steps after the storm, Jacobsen said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhether it\u2019s almonds or grapes or a lot of these other crops, that can sustain water, you do have to come on the backside and put a fungicide because they are susceptible to mildew or fungus issues,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Despite the aftermath for some growers, Jacobsen said the storm also brought significant snowfall, which is expected to benefit summer agriculture.<\/p>\n By ABC 30\u2019s Elisa Navarro on Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n