Drier weather would boost farms and tourism
The regional gully washer formerly known as June has thus far not done widespread damage to crops or hopes for a strong tourism season. But dry weather is devoutly to be desired for everything from affordably feeding horses to harvesting top-notch tomatoes to bookings at bed and breakfasts.
“Where should we begin?” said Les Hulcoop, an educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension in Dutchess County, when asked about the effect of such wet weather on Hudson Valley agriculture. “First of all, it”™s been a very difficult year to do any haying. So that”™s the first thing that would be affected: storing feed hay for the coming year. For the livestock and equine industry, that has a big impact.”
Beyond that, he said, the outlook is potentially fraught with peril but not necessarily dire. For the fruit crop, he said, “It”™s been okay,” noting that lots of rain can produce lush fruit, but weighing that against the fact bees don”™t work as hard in the rain, and are thus not likely to thoroughly pollinate as much acreage.
Regarding vegetable farming, Hulcoop called it “kind of a 50-50 deal.” He said, “Greens that do well in weather are doing great this year,” so that spinach, lettuce, and kale have thrived. But popular warm-weather plants such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplants “are being held back a bit by the wet weather and also the lack of sunshine.” Additionally, he said, the unusually cool nights might significantly retard plant growth as much as the unseasonably cool days.  Â
Hidden perils and problems lie just under the surface, so to speak. For example, some fields have not been planted yet because it is too wet ”¦ and time is getting short. “We”™re into the fourth week of June and even pumpkins may be a real stretch to try and get a crop in by frost if they are not yet planted,” said Hulcoop.
He noted nothing has happened so far to threaten any particular crops, but said, “It could be scarcer this year,” with regards to pumpkins and other produce. And he said that the wet weather could cause problems even after the rains stop, if it causes diseases such as early tomato blight.
“During the wet weather a lot of foliar diseases will really break out because most diseases have spores that do well in the water that maybe splashes all over the plant,” said Hulcoop. “That can really play havoc.”
In Orange County, home of the lush Black Dirt Region specializing in onions and other vegetables, “It”™s a little too early to really tell,” if the wet weather will harm production, said Marie Ullrich of Cornell Cooperative Extension there. She said a few low spots are showing signs of excess water conditions such as the yellowing of a crop, but she said if the rain stops and the weather doesn”™t”™ turn too hot too quickly, “most should be well.”
What happens from here, with regard to the weather, will determine the fate of the coming harvest. “The main concern” said Ullrich, is that plants in constantly moist soil do not build roots down in the soil as they normally would. “This lack of deep-root structures will be a significant disadvantage if we have hot, dry weather later in the season,” she said.?Despite the rainy weeks, Joyce Minard, president of the New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce said visitors are still coming to the region, especially for graduations from the many area colleges and high schools.  Â
“So what that brings to us are relatives,” said Minard. “And relatives bring commerce because they usually stay for the weekend.” She said such visitors are not weather related, but are lured by family and ceremony and thus come rain or shine.
More problematic are visitors here to enjoy the area”™s great outdoors. “The hikers, the bikers, the climbers, we need better weather for them,” said Minard. “Or the rain will bring a slow start to the season.”
But an optimist by nature, she noted residents get their drinking water through wells and that the New York City water supply comes from the region and said the silver lining in all the clouds was replenishment of the water supply after a dry winter.
Visitors who do come even in the rain say they are happy to be here, Minard said, citing the many museums, art galleries and restaurants. Â
Ron Madura, whose family has farmed the Pine Island Black Dirt region of Orange county for three generations, sat on his tractor and surveyed his 5-acre pumpkin patch. He was hesitating ”“ should he try to spray pesticide, only to see it washed away again? “We have to spray the fields,” said Madura. “But the ground is so soaked, I’m hesitant to do it.”
Madura pointed to the growing crop. “See where the leaves have yellowed? Those are ruined.
“I have about 100 acres planted, a variety of vegetables … but go down the road and visit some of the onion farms. You’ll see row after row of brown roots. Those are ruined crops. I was lucky. I wasn’t hit as hard. But this weather has been unmerciful.”
As Madura spoke, grey clouds rolled in overhead, with the weather man reporting more precipitation was on its way to the rain-soaked region.
Hulcoop”™s prescription for an abundant harvest would also make for lucrative tourism. “Sunshine would be a good thing,” he said.