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.
鈥淲e are behind. We鈥檙e probably 10 days behind where we鈥檇 like to be,鈥� said Lindley. 鈥淲e have a stretch through Friday where it鈥檚 looking dry, so we鈥檒l have to go gangbusters before it rains again.鈥�
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 鈥減ulling all-nighters鈥� 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, 鈥淟ast year we couldn鈥檛 buy a drop of rain; this year we can鈥檛 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鈥檚 getting old now. It鈥檚 to the point where it needs to be harvested, should have been harvested. There鈥檚 that point where it goes from good to not-so-good, and that鈥檚 where we are.鈥�
Scott Simmons, owner of Simmons Farm in Peters Township, said the wet weather has been challenging.
鈥淲e prefer drier weather, mainly because we have the ability to irrigate, so when you get as much rain as we鈥檝e gotten lately, some of our crops don鈥檛 do well, especially in certain areas of the farm,鈥� said Simmons.
The rain has had some impact on the planting schedule, especially for sweet corn.
鈥淲e have actually kind of stayed on schedule, but we can鈥檛 plant everywhere we鈥檇 like to,鈥� he said.
The farm鈥檚 popular pick-your-own strawberries days continue to draw visitors, but rainy weather has kept crowds down on wet days.
鈥淲e always get people saying you鈥檙e having a great spring when we get lots of rain, but with as much rain as we鈥檝e gotten, it gets to be too much,鈥� said Simmons.
Mark Duda of Duda鈥檚 Farms in Fayette County noted the swing in weather conditions from last summer, when farmers endured long stretches of hot, dry weather.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been the complete opposite of last year and it鈥檚 been incredibly challenging,鈥� said Duda. 鈥淲hen we get a few dry days, we go as hard as we can to get everything done.鈥�
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.
鈥淭he weather has certainly been causing us some challenges. Mother Nature is a challenge,鈥� said Wherry. 鈥淵ou have to love farming, and you have to be patient to handle Mother Nature.鈥�