BOUCTOUCHE, N.B. – Some New Brunswick farmers are worried about their crops after a damp and cold month of June.
Bouctouche farmer Christian Michaud and his partner Francois Lavigne say their crops are behind schedule, and people waiting for local produce are in for a bit of a wait.
“We are lacking heat because I think June hasn’t really hit yet. I think we are basically only in May still,” he said.
At least it’s felt that way. According to Environment Canada, temperatures in June have actually been near normal in much of southern New Brunswick. But there have been far fewer hours of sunshine, above average rainfall and plenty of cooler nights.
The planting season was already behind by about three weeks and now, Michaud says overcast rainy weather is stunting the growth of many crops.
His strawberries have barely begun to ripen. Last year at this time, he says they were already off to market.
Lavigne, who manages the farmer’s retail customers says the bean and corn crops are also about two weeks behind schedule and dozens of customers and retail stores are having to wait for the vegetables.
“We have to explain to them that because of the spring we had we are late about a week and a half to two weeks on everything,” she said.
They need hot weather and sunshine for an extended period of time to ripen the berry crop. They hope upcoming warmer weather will give the crops a boost so they can have berries ready within the next two weeks.
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