Plant City’s summer was record hot. What could that mean for strawberries?
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PLANT CITY — Fan blades whirred at the open-air Parkesdale Farm Market on a scorching hot day in September. Co-owner Jim Meeks had installed the large fans this summer to cool customers as they ordered milkshakes flavored with Plant City’s famous strawberries. Smaller fans blew air onto employees working the counter. Meeks sometimes found them seeking more relief in the walk-in freezer. “Without question, this is the hottest summer I’ve felt,” he said.
Temperature recordings show he was right. While communities across...