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SAGINAW, Mich. (WNEM) — This summer’s drought followed by heavy rains have swamped farms with unusable or unsellable crops, including pumpkins.
“The damage started showing up and it was pretty devastating both financially and mentally. It’s hard to take,” said Gerald Johnson, owner of Johnson’s Giant Pumpkin Farm in Saginaw.
Johnson has been in the business for more than three decades, but this year has been a big disappointment.
“Between the pumpkins, squash and gourds I think I lost about 50 percent of the crop,” Johnson said.
The crops were lost due to rot caused by high humidity and heavy rain.
“When you start getting wet weather with the high humidity and temperatures, different diseases in the ground – phytophthora is one of them – it’s in the ground. It’s like a fungus that comes up. And when the fruit is touching the ground then disease gets into it and starts rotting it from the ground up,” Johnson said.
Johnson said there is still plenty of time to get your pumpkins for the fall season.
“I might be a little short of gourds and squash, but I think we’ll have enough pumpkins to make it to Halloween day,” Johnson said.
Diehl’s Orchard and Cider Mill in Holly and Spicers in Fenton said it’s has been a dry year for them and their crops are doing well.
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