Soggy start to the planting season: Local farmers dealing with heavy rainfall
With a heavy amount of rainfall during the month of May and in early June, many local farmers are being impacted by the rain and are behind schedule.
According to the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, the region has received 6.11 inches of rain from May 1 through June 9, compared to an average of 4.5 inches.
Jim Lindley, a farmer in Scenery Hill, said the rain has made it difficult to get work done in the field.
无毛视频淲e are behind. We无毛视频檙e probably 10 days behind where we无毛视频檇 like to be,无毛视频� said Lindley. 无毛视频淲e have a stretch through Friday where it无毛视频檚 looking dry, so we无毛视频檒l have to go gangbusters before it rains again.无毛视频�
Lindley, who grows corn and soybeans, said he had planned to have all of his crops planted by now, but about one-third of crops remains unplanted.
He spent two nights last week 无毛视频減ulling all-nighters无毛视频� to get corn planted during a rare dry stretch before he was held off by rain again.
Lisa Wherry, president of the Washington County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, said the excessive rainfall also has disrupted hay cutting for area farmers, which is crucial for those with livestock and for long-term forage stands.
Said farmer Mike Molinar, who produces hay on a 65-acre farm in Avella, 无毛视频淟ast year we couldn无毛视频檛 buy a drop of rain; this year we can无毛视频檛 get rid of it. The ground is saturated pretty badly. I need a couple of days to get it dry before I can bale (the hay), and it无毛视频檚 getting old now. It无毛视频檚 to the point where it needs to be harvested, should have been harvested. There无毛视频檚 that point where it goes from good to not-so-good, and that无毛视频檚 where we are.无毛视频�
Scott Simmons, owner of Simmons Farm in Peters Township, said the wet weather has been challenging.
无毛视频淲e prefer drier weather, mainly because we have the ability to irrigate, so when you get as much rain as we无毛视频檝e gotten lately, some of our crops don无毛视频檛 do well, especially in certain areas of the farm,无毛视频� said Simmons.
The rain has had some impact on the planting schedule, especially for sweet corn.
无毛视频淲e have actually kind of stayed on schedule, but we can无毛视频檛 plant everywhere we无毛视频檇 like to,无毛视频� he said.
The farm无毛视频檚 popular pick-your-own strawberries days continue to draw visitors, but rainy weather has kept crowds down on wet days.
无毛视频淲e always get people saying you无毛视频檙e having a great spring when we get lots of rain, but with as much rain as we无毛视频檝e gotten, it gets to be too much,无毛视频� said Simmons.
Mark Duda of Duda无毛视频檚 Farms in Fayette County noted the swing in weather conditions from last summer, when farmers endured long stretches of hot, dry weather.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 been the complete opposite of last year and it无毛视频檚 been incredibly challenging,无毛视频� said Duda. 无毛视频淲hen we get a few dry days, we go as hard as we can to get everything done.无毛视频�
He said the wet weather has not caused any issues with plant disease. The farm is on track to plant pumpkins later this week, and sweet corn is expected to be ready for harvest by July 1, in time for the July 4 holiday. Other crops, including zucchini, green beans, lettuce, potatoes, tomatoes, cauliflower, and peppers, are on track.
Wherry remains hopeful that conditions will improve, recalling the drought-like conditions that developed later last year.
无毛视频淭he weather has certainly been causing us some challenges. Mother Nature is a challenge,无毛视频� said Wherry. 无毛视频淵ou have to love farming, and you have to be patient to handle Mother Nature.无毛视频�