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LOCAL FARMS BATTLING CHANGING WEATHER
HOW OUR LOCALS FARMS ARE BATTLING THE CHANGING WEATHER By Olivia Saunders
TOUGHER TIMES AHEAD FOR LOCAL FOOD GROWERS
Extreme weather, brought about by changes to our climate, now poses significant risk to farmers throughout New England. While some changes may be beneficial, local farmers are likely to experience yield losses associated with increased frequency of high temperatures, on modernizing their irrigation equipment in order to deal with drought.
More drought and more flooding create a curious conundrum for people who grow plants in the soil for a living. Farmers are slowly adopting to this new normal, but we are still struggling to some process, and does not fully recover all the lost profit from the ruined crop.
an increase of soil erosion due to extreme precipitation, and crop failure as a result of moisture stress and excess heat. Inadequate winter chilling period may also have perilous effects on fruit crops. One producer I work with has had their crop fields flood with storm water four of the last seven years, eroding their soils, and laying waste to otherwise marketable crops. Prior to that, the river rarely flooded in the 50 years they’ve owned the property. Elsewhere in New Hampshire, growers are spending thousands of dollars understand many of these changes. In the meantime, farmers in the Northeast have had to use funds from the Farm Service Agency (FSA) crop disaster assistance program in order to stay afloat. The most recent data from the Northeast region (2013-2016) demonstrates that disaster relief funds have been used for heat (10.7%), hail (1.7%), frost or freeze (13.4%), drought (38.1%) and excess moisture (33.8%). While disaster relief is one strategy to farm viability, this option is not available to all farms, is a cumber
Earth’s average temperature has increased 1.8°F nationally. The 2-degree increase in global average surface temperature, that has occurred since the preindustrial era (1880-1900), might seem
small, but it means a significant increase in accumulated heat. In New Hampshire, scientists expect a 3°F increase in temperature, which has direct implications on rainfall events. The data also show that the largest observed changes in rainfall in the United States have occurred in the Northeast. How, exactly, do these changes in rainfall occur? For each 1.8°F of warming, the air can contain 7% more water vapor. Think of the humidity on an August day versus February. Warm air contains more water vapor because the
LEFT: A beautiful field of buckwheat flowers on the Schartner Farm in North Conway days before being tilled. Easily managed and used as a cover or rotational crop, buckwheat grows quickly and is economical to produce because it requires no pesticides and allows the soil to rest and rejuvenate before the next cash crop. It is also often used to prepare organic crop soil because it can eliminate weeds. It can add up to 3,000 pounds of organic matter per acre back into the soil when tilled.
water vapor molecules move at a higher speed than in cold air. With more moisture content in the air, the atmosphere is able to release more water when it rains. This is why we expect increased frequency of big rainstorms like the one on Halloween in 2017. This also means longer periods between wet weather.
Educators and farmers throughout the region are working on proactive strategies to help meet these new challenges. The use of protected structures is one tool on most every vegetable farm in the Northeast. Hoop house technology, low tunnels, and perforated plastic help protect the crop and moderate temperatures. These technologies shield crops from heavy rain and hail while also reducing pressure from disease and insects, thus lowering pesticide use. The structures typically use a ventilation system to moderate moisture and can easily incorporate shade cloth. Shade cloth is not generally used in this region, but it is a necessary practice in the Mid-Atlantic region. There, growers are painting their summer crops with white kaolin clay to reduce sunscald; temperatures are now so extreme that growers have to protect the leaves of squash and pumpkin from getting too hot by spraying them from their natural green to white. Shade cloth and protected structures are effective strategies to endure extreme heat and rain, but they have significant additional costs and require regular maintenance and management.
Agricultural scientists also develop tools to help aid in farmer decision-making. These include integration of weather data with pest models so that growers can forecast when certain pests will be most active or at their peak population. This is based on the phenology of the insect or pathogen, along with observed growing degree days. In New Hampshire, we utilize a system through Cornell University called the Network for Environment and Weather Applications (NEWA). Maine uses a similar system. We have
UNIQUE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR NORTHEASTERN US CROP PRODUCTION IN A CHANGING CLIMATE
Drought (38.1%) Excess Moisture (33.8%)
Heat (10.7%) Frost/Freeze (13.4%) Other (2.3%) Hail (1.7%)
Primary weather-related crop loss data reported to USDA-FSA, averaged across all crops for the Northeastern USA during the period 2013–2016.
Wolfe, D.W., DeGaetano, A.T., Peck, G.M. et al. Unique challenges and opportunities for northeastern US crop production in a changing climate. https://rdcu.be/b361Y
The use of protected structures, such as hoop house technology, low tunnels, and perforated plastic, shield crops from heavy rain and hail while also reducing pressure from disease and insects, thus lowering pesticide use. The structures typically use a ventilation system to moderate moisture and can easily incorporate shade cloth if needed. Photos provided by Kaitly Orde, Research Associate with UNH’s Agriculture, Nutrition, and Food Systems Department.
deployed over 10 weather stations across the state on farms, typically in orchards or in crop fields. Growers visit NEWA online and see when cucurbit downy mildew spores are forecasted to be active in their neighborhood or when the first codling moth flight is expected. These tools are helpful in understanding a new normal. In the past, insect monitoring on the brink of entering the state almost every year. Spotted wing drosophila was the first, closely followed by emerald ash borer, then swede midge, leek moth, basil downy mildew, brown marmorated stink bug, and up next will be the spotted lanternfly. If you’re thinking it’s more difficult to farm now than in your parents’ day, you’d be right. When my colleague, George hardy for our growing zone. The reason? While overall average temperatures may be increasing, we in the Mt. Washington Valley still experience one or more -20°F night every year. Peach buds cannot withstand that level of cold, even in full dormancy (the flower will be destroyed at -14°). The same is true for many plants. If you ask me this question in 10 years,
Many folks are hopeful that as temperatures increase, we will be able to grow new crops, such as grapes, figs, or a wider variety of peaches. This is true in some cases, but in general, I do not recommend planting crops that are not hardy for our growing zone.
data from the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension showed squash vine borer activity beginning July 10 in the MWV region. In the last few years, however, we have had to deploy our trap three weeks earlier. The insect is now flying, mating, and laying eggs before we even put the trap out. Growers may not even be aware the insect is active at this early stage.
In my seven years working with growers as a field specialist for UNH Extension, there has been a new invasive pest introduced to New Hampshire, or Hamilton, started his career in 1989, he had to learn about one new pest per decade. Today, there is a continual onslaught of new invasive insects and disease that change the way that growers run their farms and grow crops. Climate change is not fully to blame for new invasive pests, but is certainly part of the problem.
Many folks are hopeful that as temperatures increase, we will be able to grow new crops, such as grapes, figs, or a wider variety of peaches. This is true in some cases, but in general, I do not recommend planting crops that are not perhaps I will have a different answer, but I would hedge my bets that we will continue to have at least a single night that dips to -15° or -20° for a while now. For those who celebrate warmer weather, understand that new market opportunities will not fix the underlying problems happening to our climate.
Changing climate makes fruit production even more of a risky business. Successful bloom is critical for a good harvest. Any frost during this time can reduce or eliminate the crop. In the last five to 10 years, we have seen an expanded
In the past decade, we have seen an expanded spring period in which fruit trees come out of dormancy earlier in the season, creating a higher risk of frost damage. Lightly misting crops is one strategy of protection.
spring period in which fruit trees come out of dormancy, yet risk of frost has not passed. An early bloom period is not good. When fruit trees bloom earlier, most fruit growers will stay awake through the night monitoring the crop, or they will set up a system of alarms if any spot in the orchard is at risk for frost, which is most likely to occur just before dawn. Lightly misting the delicate blossoms with water vapor is one strategy to protect the crop, as is use of wind turbines to move cold air out of the orchard. Proper site selection of an orchard is more important than ever before. You might have noticed that orchards are often located on the sides of hills—this is because cold air will drain off the slope better than on flat ground, where cold air will pool. Additionally, a south-facing slope is not ideal since trees located there are likely to bloom earlier, putting them at greater risk for spring frost damage.
Humidity and regular periods of rain have always been a mainstay of New England agriculture. However, in the period between 2013 to 2016, 40% of crop losses were brought about because of drought. The 2016 drought in New Hampshire not only affected vegetable farmers who ran their wells and irrigation ponds dry, but had perilous influence on the overwintering ability of honeybees. Flowers were unable to produce the critical nectar and pollen for the bees, resulting in poor nutrition for the honeybee. Low nectar availability directly resulted in catastrophic losses that winter, especially in the southern region of the state where the drought was most severe.
We are always 10 days away from a drought. I try to communicate to growers, especially new and beginner farmers who have less infrastructure available to them, the importance of setting up irrigation systems before these periods hit. For small-scale vegetable production, setting up drip tape along crop beds with an automated timer can save big on labor and crop stress. These are even more effective if you can sync them
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Temperatures in New Hampshire have increased approximately 3°F since the beginning of the 20th century (Figure 1). The number of hot days (maximum temperature above 90°F) in New Hampshire has been variable across the period of record (1950–2014).
Observed and projected changes (compared to the 1901–1960 average) in near-surface air temperature for New Hampshire. Observed data are for 1900–2014. Projected changes for 2006–2100 are from global climate models for two possible futures: one in which greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase (higher emissions) and another in which greenhouse gas emissions increase at a slower rate (lower emissions). Temperatures in New Hampshire (orange line) have risen about 3°F since the beginning of the 20th century. Shading indicates the range of annual temperatures from the set of models. Observed temperatures are generally within the envelope of model simulations of the historical period (gray shading). Historically unprecedented warming is projected during the 21st century. Less warming is expected under a lower-emissions future (the coldest years being about 3°F warmer than the historical long-term average; green shading) and more warming under a higher-emissions future (the hottest years being about 16°F warmer than the historical long-term average; red shading). Source: CICS-NC and NOAA NCEI. www.statesummaries.ncics.org/chapter/nh
with a hydrometer, a tool that measures soil moisture. Irrigation may not be practical or financially viable on large acreage crops such as hay fields, field corn, or wild blueberry fields like those on Foss Mountain. When a hay grower predicts a harvest of 1.7 tons of hay per acre, but only takes half of that off the field due to drought, it is no wonder that farmer stress and farmer suicide rates are at an all-time high nationally.
In a large-scale effort to help farmers adapt to extreme weather conditions and a rapidly changing climate, the USDA changes. They help to modernize on-farm water and energy use, aid in infrastructure development (like high tunnels), and conduct on-farm trials with grower participants to determine which cover crops perform best in our region and have the greatest benefit for carbon storage and water infiltration.
has developed regional climate Hubs throughout the United States and Caribbean. The Hubs collect regional weather data to assist in reducing crop production risk so that farmers may be able to manage crops successfully through current and future climate changes and trends.
Locally here in Carrol County, USDANRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) assists farmers by cost-sharing conservation practices to mitigate these Farmers manage lots of risk in their businesses, and changes to our climate present a new risk that they must learn to manage. Supporting small-scale and local agriculture has never been more important than now, as these businesses need our support if they are going to survive.
Drought, extreme downpours, earlier springs, frost and freeze damage, excessive summer heat, and increasing insect and disease pressure are but a few changes happening on our local farms that we are just beginning to understand. falls. With an appropriate tillage system and the adoption of intensive cover cropping, farmers can capture excess carbon dioxide and store it in their soils. This is a significant change to how many growers farm, and it will take new equipment, new rotational planning, and perhaps even new varieties of crops. Growers rely on the research developed at land-grant universities, like the University of New Hampshire, to understand how to adopt these climate-friendly practices. They rely on the Natural Resource Conservation Service to help them cost-share these
With support, farmers are poised to contribute to a climate solution. The soil they till can hold massive amounts of carbon and can help soak up the rain when it new practices. They rely on advocates in government to speak for them and push good policies. They rely on consumers like you to purchase these climatefriendly vegetables at their farm stands and farmers markets so that they can continue to farm and begin to capture the excess carbon dioxide that is causing all these issues.
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