Local farmers are praying that we'll actually see some rain this weekend. They've lost a lot of crops so far because of the drought and if the skies don't open up soon they'll lose even more. Which means local farmer's markets are also struggling to stock the shelves and keep prices down.
Kristyna Wickland and her family shop at the South Bend Farmer's Market once a week.
But this year things are a little different. "The prices seem to be a little bit higher," said Wicklind.
It's all because the drought is hurting local farmers who sell their goods at markets and roadside stands. Chuck Mohler grows all his own produce and sells it at Sweet Corn Charlie's stands. He normally has about four thousand pounds of green beans to sell a week but this year only about three hundred pounds a week. "Economically it's catastrophic," said Mohler.
Art Walawender's green beans are also struggling. "My green beans are not so fully packed as they normally would be," said Walawender. He sells them at the South Bend Farmer's Market and because of the dry conditions they're on sale, in fact, he's calling it a "drought special."
Mohler said he's never seen a growing season this dry. He said they have a decent crop of their signature sweet corn but, "last week in the heat we lost seven thousand dozen." In this heat Mohler says he just can't keep up with the watering. But he's trying. And so is Walawender. Both are irrigating their crops a lot, and it's costing them. "You can't pass that onto the customer cause the customer just can't stand it," said Mohler.
Purdue Extension Educator Jeff Burbrink said customers will go elsewhere, "the consumer compares the price at the grocery store with the price at the farmer's market."
Not all is lost. Some products are thriving in these hot and dry conditions. Mohler said his watermelons are doing great and Walawender said he's got a good crop of onions and beets.
