"There is no safety net, " said Dan Gregory, 64 years old, who farms more than 2, 000 acres of cherries and apples in Suttons Bay, near an inlet on Lake Michigan.

WSJ: Spring Is No Bowl of Cherries for Michigan Growers

CNN's Tom Cohen, Dana Davidsen, Brianna Keilar, Kevin Liptak, Dan Lothian and Gregory Wallace contributed to this report.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Independently produced for Tell Me More by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman with John Gregory and Viki Merrick.

NPR: Finding Hope in Hip-Hop

Independently produced for Weekend Edition Sunday by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman with John Gregory and Viki Merrick.

NPR: The Human Body's Frailty and Splendor

Independently produced for All Things Considered by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman with John Gregory and Viki Merrick.

NPR: I Am Capable Of More Than I Think I Am

Independently produced for NPR Digital Media by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman with John Gregory and Viki Merrick.

NPR: A Drive to Achieve the Extraordinary

NPR's This I Believe is independently produced by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman with John Gregory and Viki Merrick.

NPR: All Beings Are Interconnected

Independently produced for NPR Digital Media by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman with Emily Botein, John Gregory and Viki Merrick.

NPR: Living in the Here and Now