PASCO, Wash. – Farmers are feeling the effect of the cold but in a different way.
The region has been through a cold and wet winter already and lately colder-than-normal overnight temperatures.
This is causing some setbacks for one local farmer and his crops, affecting his livelihood.
Kyle Beus, owner of Angel Brook farm in Pasco has been farming for a while now. He typically grows sweet corn, cantaloupe, and watermelon.
A week ago he planted his sweet corn but nothing has grown yet.
He told me he usually has the corn ready by the first or second week in July.
“The corn we generally plant the first week in April,” said Beus. “I was just out here digging into the soil and hopefully I would have corn emerge by now, and it’s still probably a week before it comes out of the ground.”
The cause of all this is the cold weather.
According to NonStop Local’s Chief Meteorologist Monty Webb, temperatures will continue to remain below average throughout the rest of this month.
Beus says it’s a stressful time, but he enjoys being able to get outside and plant.
The delay is shortening the days he is able to sell his crops.
“Being late is going to have a huge impact,” said Beus. “We’re open about 100 days and during that 100 days is when we got to make our entire year’s living.”
The President of the Washington State Fruit Commission, B.J. Thurlby sent me a statement saying:
“I can say that the tree fruit crops … primarily cherries … are running about 10 to 14 days behind normal. Our harvest traditionally begins close to June 1st each year. This year we are running approximately 10 to 14 days behind normal. So harvest will begin sometime after June 10th if not later.
The California crop is running 15 to 20 days behind normal … so they expect to harvest half their crop in the June window which traditionally is our harvest window. So … the late start might be a positive as it will give California more time to clear the market for our fruit. There should be plenty of cherries for the 4th of July and we expect to have a large July and August. Not ideal … but we have worked around this type of time many times in the past. ” end quote.
Beus tells me he’s had to push back planting his watermelon and cantaloupe due to the cold weather until the first week in May.
In a normal season, they would already be planted in the ground.
