Local farmers burned by drought

Local farmers burned by drought

June 25, 2007

By MELISSA DiPANE
6 News Anchor/Reporter

HALLS (WATE) -- Many East Tennessee farmers are barely getting by because the hot, dry weather is costing them crops and patience.

The berry baskets are bare at the Fruit and Berry Patch in Halls.

The business thrives on pick your own berries. But blackberries are the only plants left standing and that's slowing business at the family store.

"We get two or three cars a day. We've got a sign posted. Sometimes they read the sign and go on," says farmer Jeff Fox.

After losing their apples, peaches, blueberries and other fruit crops, the Fox family is hoping to turn a profit on their corn and pumpkins. But dry conditions are affecting those crops, as well.

"If you'd asked me two or three weeks ago, I would've said we won't even have a corn crop," Fox says.

He has corn growing in three stages. The smaller ones substantially affected by lack of rain.

With an irrigation system that relies on a dried-up pond, Fox says he needs every drop of rain.

"If we go two to three weeks without rain like we did a month ago, then we'll lose a lot of corn," Fox says.

The dry soil is also making it hard to plant fall crops. "If the ground is too dry, we won't be able to get it plowed under to plant pumpkins," Fox says.

He says he mainly sells his fruit in large quantities for canning. Now, he'll rely on shipping in fruit to keep his customers happy but realizes he might lose business.

"For folks who want the small quantity for snacks, you'd do better going to the store and getting them," Fox says.  "We just count our blessings here knowing we're fortunate for what we have."

Consumers will also feel the pinch

Shoppers could soon be affected by the drought by paying more for fruits and vegetables. When local farmers miss out on selling their goods, they have to come from somewhere.

Most likely, the produce will come from out of state this summer. But the further the produce travels, the more expensive the prices are.

"If transportation is involved with the fuel cost these days, they could potentially be more," says David Vandergriff, University of Tennessee Extension agent.

Tennessee isn't the only Southern state seeing a drought. Many of our neighbors are also feeling the burn.

"South Carolina lost 95 percent of their peaches, is what we were told. That's why the price is driven up," Fox says. "They'll see prices driven up on other things, too."

As Southern states demand fruit from other regions, the price could shoot up even more.

Shoppers who normally buy from the Fruit and Berry Patch in Halls could see more apples from Pennsylvania and northern Virginia, rather than those grown from north Knoxville trees.

That's an added expense for Fox. "We want to take care of our customers so we'll eat that expense just to keep the clientele coming."