Rain Affecting Crops for Local Farmers Market
From tomatoes, to watermelons, fruits and vegetables at the Montgomery State Farmers Market are all homegrown. They are mostly from local farmers. But owner Jean Wright says it’s not an abundance of everything due to a wet summer – 22 inches of rain, above normal for the year in Montgomery.
“A lot of people you know when they planted things that should’ve been ready the rain ruined them and they had to start all over-like watermelons. They should’ve been in the fourth of july but we’re just now getting home grown watermelons,” says Wright.
The most popular item? Peaches. But in the last four weeks, the market hasn’t seen any. Wright says this year has been a very short crop for peaches.
“This year has been the worst year for peaches and the plums,” says Wright.
She says it’s the same for many vegetables.
“If it weren’t for our neighboring states helping us out on getting peas and butter beans and you know a lot of the vegetables from them it would’ve really been a bad year.”
Some customers are also seeing the effects with their own crops or for items they are searching for at the market.
“The idea is if we can get everybody’s freezer filled up it makes for a good winter. But no peas this year. None,” says Beth Ivey.
“I came in here for greens. I don’t see any. I think the rain may have effected them on that,” says Jarren Latson.
Their hope? Less rain. But no drought.
“Some people raise lake crops and if it would just stop raining. We don’t have an abundance of rain right now, they should do good on their lake crop,” says Wright.
Montgomery is now at 57 inches of rain so far this year.
