Farmers struggle to keep crops viable for market
Date: 7/25/2012
By G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.comCHICOPEE — Rain wanted. Apply in Western Massachusetts.
A survey of some of the growers at the Chicopee Farmers' Market last week showed that area farmers were on the cusp when it came to their crops' need for water.
"It's been a trying year," Nicole McKinstry of McKinstry Farms of Chicopee told
Reminder Publications.
At her farm, they have been irrigating "from sun up to sun down" in order to replace the needed rain.
"We can't keep up," she said.
Despite the lack of rain, McKinstry offered a wide selection of vegetables, including the first of locally grown cantaloupe.
She did admit the high temperatures have caused some loss in crop yield.
She is holding the line on the retail prices, though, and keeping them the same as last year.
Over-seeing a table loaded with raspberries, red currents and blueberries, among other items. Bruce Darling of Hamilton Orchards in New Salem said, "I can't say it's been bad. There have been a lot of challenges."
He said the snow-less winter was actually harmful to the field of raspberry bushes. He explained that snow actually protects the plants and the orchard suffered "a lot of winter kill."
Like McKinstry, Darkling said the orchard has been irrigating its bushes and trees.
"It's a lot more work," he added.
Walter Lakota of Summit Farm in Belchertown was a little more blunt and succinct in his description of the growing season so far.
"It sucks," he said.
Lakota said that while area farmers were "still OK," rain was needed and soon.
"If it doesn't rain pretty soon, the zucchini is going to shrivel up," he said.
With a large box of blueberries in his table, he added it has been a good season for that crop.
The heat has affected the number of customers at the Chicopee market, which is organized by the Valley Opportunity Council, according to its manager James Sroka. Despite the fact it is the only market in the region with shade from the sun and a roof from rain — it is in on Chicopee Street in Willimansett under Interstate 391 — Sroka said, "Heat is a big factor for seniors."
The official grand opening of the market will be July 25 with a corn festival and Sroka said more vendors would be present.
The market is open from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays through Sept. 5.
