Consumer farmers impacted by late spring weather

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - The inclement weather that we have seen this spring has impacted corn and soybean farmers with their crops, but they are not alone.

”This spring has been a challenge, no doubt about it,” Valley Veggies and Flowers owner Terri Anderson said.

Anderson has seen a lot of inclement weather in her 25 years.

The past two months have set her operations back.

“Right now, I am only 60% planted. Normally by Memorial Day, I am like 99% planted,” Anderson said.

The flower patch and farmer’s market offer a wide variety of consumer products from pickled cucumbers to beautiful flower arrangements.

Anderson’s most popular activity, Pick Your Own Flowers, attracts hundreds of people usually starting July 1.

That has also succumbed to the ever-changing climate, which has put a burden on Anderson and other consumer farmers across southern Minnesota, like Alternative Roots Farm, which specializes in apples, whose problems don’t start or end with their fruit.

“Very stressful, yes. You know, we are never happy until the stuff is in the ground; until then it is stressful,” Anderson stated.

“The bloom on the apples was around 10 days later than it normally is and then throws into that during the bloom. We had some pretty crazy weather in there, so we had some pretty windy days, which knocked some of the petals off and some of the bloom,” Alternative Roots Farm co-owner John Knisley explained.

Co-owner of Alternative Roots Farm John Knisley says they’re late to the game with tomatoes as well.

“Planting is definitely delayed, a lot of times we don’t plant or consider planting things like tomatoes until after May 15. Right now, we are just waiting on it not only because of the cold temps, but also because of the wind. You don’t want to plant all of those young plants with the crazy winds we have been having.”

Knisley says that although this is a hard battle to face as farmers, they aren’t the only ones suffering from mother nature.

“At the end of the day, the consumer is going to be the one who sees the changes. We might not be able to bring things to market as early as we have done in the past.”

Regardless of what mother nature has in store for farmers in the next couple of months, they will still be doing what they love.

“I have a real love for it no doubt about it. Why would anybody else work this hard,” Anderson said.

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