Hot, Dry Summer Speeds up Season at Local Farms

This summer's waves of hot, dry weather have accelerated the growth of local crops on Long Island, resulting in strawberries, corn, tomatoes and other produce hitting the shelves ahead of schedule, according to local farm stands.

"Produce was good this season, but definitely came earlier than usual," said Bill Borella at BB & GG Farm in St. James. "The corn came way before our usual July 4th peak."

Typically, a dry summer season is a boon to local growers, according to Bob Carpenter of the Calverton-based Long Island Farm Bureau. That's because farmers can exercise better control over how much water the crops receive, he said. The heat, though, is a different story.

"The heat has done some damage, but for the most part, it's still a little too early before the final results are in," Carpenter said. "We still have another month or two of the growing season."

Borella said business has been the same, but that costs were up.

"We didn't get any help from the [skies] above, that's for sure," Borella said. "You had to irrigate and pay those extra fuel costs since there was no rain," he said.

Locally grown flowers are also suffering from the heat

"The plants are drying out faster so you have to water them more than usual," said George Powers of Hitherbrook Nursery in St. James. "We tell our customers just to keep an eye on them and be aware that this summer was dry."

The produce may be early and the flowers may be dying sooner, but Carpenter said the weather hasn't affected the actual demand for locally grown goods.

"The local farm stands are still doing pretty well, holding their own," Carpenter said. "There's still a strong demand for local product. That's a good thing, because that keeps farmers growing and keeps agriculture alive on Long Island."