Following a significant period of hot and dry conditions, rain finally fell in Nova Scotia on Sunday.
“It’s a million dollar rain. It’s fantastic,” said Ted Hutten, co-owner of Hutten Family Farm in Lakeville, N.S.
“All I can say is, ‘Praise the Lord,'” said Phil Daniels, owner of Daniel’s U-Pick, a farm in Windsor Forks, N.S., where customers pick apples off trees themselves.
READ MORE: Nova Scotians struggle with dried-up wells
Over the past week, the dry spell has caused problems with firefighting, salmon populations, and wells.
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“Not in my memory in the last three decades have I seen a summer like this, in this community at least,” said Hutten.
He said he’s lost somewhere between 10-20 per cent of some crop varieties and up to a 50 per cent loss in production.
“I don’t know anyone in the valley in this business that has not been dealing with a lot of stresses. There’s a lot of financial stress that comes with it,” said Hutten.
READ MORE: Dry weather makes for extremely low water levels in Halifax-area lakes, rivers
Daniels said that about 15 of the more than 200 trees he planted this year have died due to the dry conditions. Some trees that are decades old have also suffered.
“This is my livelihood. You know, I go ten months of the year with no money, basically,” he said.
The farm opens to the public next weekend, and an expectation things will get better is still alive.
“That’s what farming is all about, is having faith. You’ve got to have faith or you’re just going to be a nervous wreak,” said Daniels.
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