Rain may be too little, too late
Elizabeth Huff
The Enquirer
originally published July 12, 2007

 

Dark clouds have blown over south central Michigan recently, teasing farmers by leaving parched vegetation thirsty.

Since the growing season began in April, Battle Creek's precipitation level has been about half of what it should be, said John Gresiak, senior forecaster for State College, Pa.-based AccuWeather.com.

 
Weather patterns set in the spring, which have dumped buckets over the nation's central and southern plains, are unlikely to change this late in the season, Gresiak said.

"Odds are, we will not make up that rainfall," he said. "If anything, it's going to get worse."

That forecast has left some local farmers worried about the quantity and quality of their crops.

"It's going to cost me more to feed my hogs," said Mike Barton, 76, whose son continues to run the family's Barton Farm Co. in Homer.

They feed their livestock 1 million bushels of corn each year, he said, and grow one quarter of it themselves.

"In a good year, we get a good 150 bushels to the acre," he said. "The rain now is about 5 inches below normal, so we're thinking this year we'll get 100 (bushels an acre) if we are lucky."

The total year-to-date precipitation is 10.98 inches, recorded at W.K. Kellogg Airport and reported Wednesday by AccuWeather.com.

That's 6 inches fewer than average for this time of year. Normally, 1.1 inches of rain would have fallen this month, but only trace amounts have been recorded.

The lack of rain has pushed back the growing season, reducing locally grown fresh produce donations to the Food Bank of South Central Michigan, which serves eight counties, including Calhoun.

"We're having to spend more money to bring in fresh produce from other parts of the country," said Teresa Osborne, food sourcing and community relations director.

The Food Bank appreciates fresh fruit and vegetable donations because they provide people with more nutritious meals, "instead of just things to fill their bellies," she said.

Howard Huffman, an 85-year-old farmer in Homer who donates to the Food Bank, said melons like dry weather, but his pepper plants may suffer.

"They like quite a bit of moisture," he said.

As for his tomatoes, "they will be there, but they might not be as big."

He's been farming since World War II, and he said a drought isn't always such a bad thing. Fewer crops can mean higher prices, and it's unlikely area crops would be wiped out altogether.

"You just take your chances," he said.

Elizabeth Huff can be reached at 966-0684 or ehuff@battlecr.gannett.com.

   
Kevin Hare/The Enquirer

Howard Huffman grows a variety of vegetables and fruit on his farm in Homer. The long-time farmer says a lack of rain in the area likely will result in reduced crop yields.

Rainfall at W.K. Kellogg Airport in Battle Creek
 
  • Month to date: trace
     
  • Normal month to date: 1.1 inches
     
  • Percent of normal precipitation: 0 percent
     
  • Year to date: 10.98 inches
     
  • Normal year to date: 16.98 inches
     
  • Percent of normal precipitation: 65 percent

    Source: John Gresiak, senior forecaster for AccuWeather.com. Data accurate as of Wednesday.


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    Kevin Hare/The Enquirer

    Howard Huffman raises watermelons on his Homer farm. He said the fruit thrive in dry weather, but other crops don´t fare as well.

       
    KEVIN HARE/THE ENQUIRER

    Howard Huffman´s tomatoes could use a good dose of rain, he says.