Farmers market produce survives summer drought

After months of drought conditions and blistering heat, the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market had a cool Saturday morning fit for sales. 

The farmers market opens 8 a.m. every Saturday in the City Hall parking lot at 401 N. Morton St.

Swarmed with local residents, students and vendors, the market is a sociable experience between consumers and merchants from farms and shops near Bloomington.

Rosie Sill’s booth consisted of vegetables and fruits from Earth Sing Farm in Green County. She said the farmers market ended early in past weekends due to low attendance and high heat.

“With the super hot days, there were definitely less people at the markets over the summer,” Sill said. “There were a few Saturdays that were 106 degrees. It was hot for customers and for us.”

Forty-six percent of the state is currently experiencing extreme drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. More than 16 percent of the state is experiencing exceptional drought conditions.

“It was a lot more work without water,” said Sarah McGee, Heartland Family Farm employee. “It was hard to work more without raising the price of our plants and products.”

McGee said even farms with irrigation infrastructures were affected. The wells dried up, she said, and the infrastructures failed to take care of the plants, houses and animals.

Jim Lewis of Old Post Gardens also had a difficult summer due to dry air. Crops most affected by a lack of water and irrigation were green beans and sweet corn.

“Green beans were hit the hardest, but my peppers were unaffected all summer,” Lewis said.

Lewis said most farms in the area have their own irrigation systems, which helped.

The main problem for most crops was the inability for seeds to germinate during the drought. The seeds melted.

Beyond the water shortage and warm weather, McGee said pests and bugs hurt their crops the most.

Produce was not the only product touched by the difficult summer. Animals, such as cows and chickens, had to be fed and taken care of differently this summer, said Doug Abney of Red Barn Meats. 

Animals normally feed on grass until October, when they switch to hay.

“This summer we had to start feeding the animals hay on July 1,” Abney said. “It has definitely increased costs by feeding hay to the animals all summer and not having it to sell for extra cash.”