After facing heavy rainfall in May and early June, some local farmers are struggling to stick to their planting schedules — especially with the strawberry harvest right around the corner.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration this past May was the fourth wettest in New Hampshire’s history.
Olivia Saunders, Fruit and Vegetable Production Field Specialist at the University of New Hampshire, said many farmers in the state have had a difficult time transitioning plants out of greenhouses and into the fields.
“The plants aren’t thriving as much as they should and aren’t growing as much as we’d like them to at this point of the year,” she said.
While every year poses its own set of weather challenges for farmers, more frequent extreme weather events are making farmers more cautious. They have started to realize how quickly conditions can change, not only from year to year, but also day to day, Saunders said, explaining how a potentially sharp transition from rainy days to 90 degree weather would also not be healthy for crops.
Over at Peachblow Farm in Charlestown, owner Bob Frizzell said he’s been able to manage the rain so far, but some activities in the farm have been delayed. While they usually start cutting straw in early May, this year Frizzell was only able to start the cutting in June. Spraying fungicides has also been difficult, he said, since the heavy rain washes it off too quickly.
“The weather has not affected me that much because of the way I have set myself up over the years, but I have farming friends that can’t get their planting done and if you don’t sow, you don’t reap,” he said.
This spring’s rain has brought back memories of the 2023 season for some farmers, when heavy storms and flooding caused millions of dollars in crop losses, including a month and a half of lost harvest for James Stever, co-owner of Generation Farm in Concord.
“We are doing ok now, but a few more of those [storms] and we’ll probably have some significant crop failures,” he said.
Others, though, like Luke Mahoney, owner of Brookford Farm in Canterbury, welcomed the rain. Due to his farm’s sandy soil and diversified crops, he often hopes “for an inch of rain every other day,” he said. “I can’t complain.”
But, still, everything has a limit. “If this rain continues through the strawberry season … that could be a problem,” Mahoney acknowledged.
Farmers are also working to prevent plant diseases, like apple scab, which can thrive in a wetter environment, according to Liza DeGenring, Food and Agriculture Field Specialist at the University of New Hampshire.
She says this is a moment when people can support their local farms, especially as rainy weekends have meant lost income from value-added products, markets and stands.
Even when the weather looks gloomy, she called on people to get their umbrellas and show up for their local farms.
“This is when they really need it, not only on the beautiful days in July,” she said.
According to Saunders, the fruit and vegetable specialist, there’s still time left for farmers to have a successful season.
Spirits were certainly high at Sunnycrest Farm in Londonderry this Thursday. While owner Danny Hicks confessed this May was “one of the most stressful months” they ever had due to flooded fields, many bright-red strawberries were ready for picking.
Katie Johnson of Salem walked away with 14 pounds of strawberries. She comes here every year during strawberry season, using the berries to make shortcake.
“It’s the only thing I know how to make,” she said, laughing. “So that's my contribution to the summer!”
Co-owner Danny Hicks said this is one of the best strawberry crops he’s seen in years, despite rain flooding one of the beds.
The farm’s been in his family since 1943. It used to sell its fruit wholesale, but now is mostly pick-your-own. Strawberries in June, blueberries, cherries and raspberries in July, stone fruit in August, and apples and pumpkins in the fall.
Hicks said shifting more of the business to visitor experiences – there’s also a farm store and ice cream stand – has helped it stay afloat as a small New England farm.
“That's what we really want this place to be, is to bring your families,” he said. “Come here, have a good time, spend time outside, learn about farming. This is what a lot of families do, this is our livelihood.”
Additional reporting by NHPR's Paul Cuno-Booth