PLAINS, Pa. — Rain, rain come again. Patches of green grass are slowly turning to brown in the hot summer sun. With no rain in sight for now, more of this crunchy carpet is likely to keep popping up in front and back yards across the region, bad news for homeowners and for farmers.
"Since we have a forty-acre vegetable farm, water is crucial," said Gary O'Malia of Larry O'Malia's Farm and Greenhouses. "Right now, we're pretty dry. If we don't have rain in a week and a half or so, we're really going to be hurting."
O'Malia said the dry weather hasn't hurt his crops yet, but with no irrigation system on the farm, lettuces and other greens could be vulnerable if rain doesn't arrive soon.
Surprisingly, even a long dry spell is better than the alternative; too much rain.
O'Malia says the farm produces more in dry summers.
"Sometimes the plants struggle a little in dry years, but wet years bring a lot more challenge of disease issues, root issues with rotting and stuff," O'Malia said.
While certain crops like cucumbers may be struggling in the dry season, other fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, grow and taste better.
"It intensifies the flavor in tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe," O'Malia said. "When you have a wet year it kind of dilutes the sugars and flavors."
The greenhouses help the business grow more and grow longer, even when conditions are less than ideal, but customers don't always have that luxury.
"They're praying for some rain along with me and probably running their hoses a little more than they'd like to," O'Malia said. "They'd like to get some free water also."
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