METHUEN, MASS. (WHDH) - A streak of hot, dry days continues throughout Massachusetts, leading farmers to take extra measures to protect their crops.
“We were hoping for some rain yesterday, but we didn’t get a drop here, which is really bad,” said Peter Tselios, a farmer at Melita Farms in Methuen.
He described the temperatures using one word: “uncomfortable.”
Amid these scorching temperatures, it’s been hard to keep the crops at Melita Farms alive.
“The flowers and the plants are sort of slowing down,” Tselios said.
In an effort to keep the vegetables from cooking themselves, he’s running sections of water lines.
“That’s the challenge, is providing enough water for them,” he said. “It’s hurting, but I would imagine some other folks are having a harder time.”
Tselios’s struggle comes as most of New England is heading into a drought. The northeast corner of the state is in severe drought conditions, while most of the rest of the state is facing a moderate drought.
The North Andover Farmer’s Market posted on Facebook that it’s canceling its event Sunday due to the extreme temperatures, but Boston’s Haymarket was bustling Friday despite the high temperatures. One vendor said he sprayed water on the produce to keep it fresh.
Whether Bay Staters plan to head to a farm or a farmer’s market, or have gardens of their own, Tselios said that when it comes to a the state’s recent sizzling stretch, there’s only so much they can do.
“Don’t water the plants on top of them,” he said. “Water them under the soil and water them early in the day, and good luck!”
At Melita Farms, some crops are doing better than others, but farmers like Tselios are keeping their fingers crossed that the rain will come sooner rather than later.
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