On May 6 of this year, Nick Cowles, owner of Shelburne Orchards, wrote a blog post on the Orchards' website about how beautiful this year's apple blossoms were and that they were a week to 10 days ahead of schedule. One month and two days later Cowles was writing about a storm that ruined 50 to 60 percent of those beautiful apples - in just 30 seconds.

Most of us probably remember that June 2 storm. That much lightening has not lit up the greater Burlington area skies in quite some time; although it was not the lightening that damaged Cowles' apple crop - it was the hail and the 50-60 mph winds.

"Thirty seconds and the wind just whipped and broke the skin off 50 percent of the apples," said Cowles. "It was heart wrenching. The good news is that we have a good crop in the 50 percent [of apples] that are left. The damaged fruit will go in the apple brandy, which is a good thing."

Leave it to Cowles to always be looking at the silver lining in a cloudy situation. He went on to explain that there is not much that can now be done to repair the damage; nonetheless, this apple season should start on time and the remaining crop will be twice as sweet. Look for announcements on the start of the season at the end of August and beginning of September.