Attention all Connecticut peach lovers: Your long, boring watch for your preferred local fruit is all about to finish.

Last year, Connecticut orchard growers faced millions of dollars worth of losses and were gazing at woods almost barren of fruit.

The vast majority of the state’s harvest of other and peaches “stone fruits,” like plums and nectarines, were wiped out in 2016 by savage, late- winter and early -spring frosts. The apple crop of their state do too well either, due to the drought conditions of 2016.

Issues have become different this spring at Lyman Orchards in other fruit and Middlefield -growing farms around the state.

“It looks like we are set up to really have a really good crop.”

” Everything’s pretty loaded.”

And the state at the state Department of Agriculture said there have been no reviews of any critical weather issues from orchards everywhere in Connecticut — which really is a good thing, given how keen lots of consumers obviously are to taste their favorite locally grown fruit.

“We’ve seen from a great number of people asking, ‘Are you planning to have peaches this season?'” said Lyman. While he tells them yes, the instant response is: “We just can’t wait.”

“I Have never seen so much anticipation for peaches,” he added. “I’ve never seen a pent-up demand similar to this.”

Connecticut’s odd weather within springtime and the late winter of 2016 ruined the fruit farmers of the state. A warm spell followed by a bitter cold snap-on Feb. 14 became known as “the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” for orchard owners in Connecticut farming communities.

Lyman Orchards lost its entire apple crop, and it is annual sales decreased by about $400,000, based on Lyman.

Early warm weather in late March 2016 was subsequently accompanied by another killer freeze in early April that damaged several farmers’ apple crops, according to Kelliher, who is also president of the Apple Marketing Board in Connecticut.

Lyman said this year was a lot safer to fruit growers. “We did not see ” he explained, adding that on-and-off cloudy weather had a moderating influence on conditions, allowing plenty of buds and flowers on the fruit trees.

The initial round of apple harvests is likely to start at Lyman Orchards about July 10th, in accordance with John Lyman, as they mature with different types planned to be chosen into May.

Lyman Orchards, which facilities about 330 miles, has about 20 acres of small fruits, 35 acres of peaches and nectarines, 11 acres of pears, and about 100 acres of apple trees, like blueberries and strawberries.

The apple trees at the Lyman family’s farm are protected in small “fruitlets,” which Lyman said will need to be thinned out to depart 4-6 inches between each fruit.

Kelliher said the thinning method already has begun on his family’s 50-acre park. “It’s so a lot better than last year,” he said.