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Home > Historic Heat Killing Farmers' Crops

Historic Heat Killing Farmers' Crops

FOX 21 News, KQDS-DT
Wednesday, July 11, 2012 - 5:35pm

By: 

Maya Holmes

Photojournalist: 

Kristian Tharaldson
  • Agriculture
  • Business
  • Community
  • Human Interest
  • Minnesota
  • Twin Ports
Duluth, MN, USA -
DULUTH – First the floods destroyed farmers' crops, now it's the blistering heat. "We've never experienced this kind of heat," Farmer Lois Hoffbauer said. "Not to this extent, never to this extent," Farmer Georgia Guite said. It's one of the hottest summers in the Midwest and may be one of the worst summers for farmers. "I think it took everybody by surprise, the amount of damage that the crops have had this year,” said Guite. The blistering heat is causing fruits and vegetables to ripen early or spoil. "We're getting molds and mildews and funguses on the plants now,” said Guite. Farmer Georgia Guite says about 30 percent of her fruits and veggies on her farm have been destroyed. "Some of the crops are just totally wiped out,” said Guite. Normally her station is filled with spinach, lettuce and a mix of berries. Now all she has are beets and onions. "We're probably selling about half than we normally do because we don't have all the products,” said Guite. Guite is only selling half of her crops but some farmers do not have anything to sell. The Duluth Farmers Market is down more than 15 vendors. "Their gardens just aren't producing enough to bring in two days a week,” said Hoffbauer. Farmers say the heat is also bringing out bugs that are eating away and ruining their crops. “Bugs that are really creating havoc,” said Hoffbauer. “We have cutworms." "All the greens everything have holes in it and of course then people won't buy it,” said Guite. So far not so good, but farmers hope things will turn around as summer goes on. "It really will because you have your hot weather crops,” said Guite. Farmers say farmers who grow their crops in green houses are not taking as big of a hit as farmers who have their crops in the fields.

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Source URL (retrieved on 2013-05-25 13:00): http://www.fox21online.com/content/historic-heat-killing-farmers-crops