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| Farmers struggle through cold rain |
| July 29,2009 |
By Lindsey Cole The Oshawa Express The weather this summer has been unpredictable and it is wreaking havoc on the farming community in Durham Region. The recent hailstorm demolished some corn crops. The constant rain and cold nights have left some farmers in Durham Region wondering just what type of season they are going to have, if one at all. According to Marlene Werry, a rural economic development officer with the region, the amount of growth coming from crops is slow and farmers aren’t producing their normal amounts.“It’s been challenging with the cold and wet weather. The coolness is certainly affecting maturity (of crops),” she says, adding the hardest crops hit seem to be hay, wheat, corn and some berry varieties.“Right now you’ve probably seen some une ven corn fields. There are some challenges with weeds. Some weeds do really well in cool, wet weather. It’s been frustrating.” Jordan McKay of Willowtree Farm in Port Perry couldn’t agree more. “They (crops) are slow. Some stuff is doing well.” Broccoli and cauliflower crops are flourishing in this weather, but when it comes to other types of produce, this year has been all but successful. The first batch of strawberries wasn’t good, he says. Werry echoes his statements stating the pick-your-own venues are suffering because of wet, cold weather.“There is not a lot you can do, you try to get them (plants) in early in the spring. Our berry crop was down,” McKay explains. But McKay says there are some methods Willowtree Farm uses to try and help growth when the weather doesn’t always cooperate. |
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