The lack of rain in past weeks combined with the lack of snow last winter has farmers in central and southern parts of the state struggling, forcing them to spend more time and money than usual to irrigate crops while they wait for a soaking rain.

“We’re in crisis mode,” said Andy Howe of Beans and Greens Farm in Gilford. “I’ve been farming here for 35 years, and this is easily one of the worst drought situations I’ve ever seen.”

Brookdale Fruit Farm in Hollis, which uses several small ponds for irrigation, is running out of water.

“Anyone who is raising food in this climate has been forced to use irrigation, and our dug irrigation ponds are very low,” said Brookdale’s Eleanor Whittemore, adding that her farm isn’t served by the town’s water system.

“It’s a concern, because irrigation is a major expense, and we have corn that’s okay now but there’s another corn crop coming along, and it could affect the quality of our fall apples and other crops. It might be real trouble if Mother Nature doesn’t help out soon.”

Howe said there was no typical “spring splash of rain” in the state. In the past six weeks, he said, he has only collected a quarter-inch of water in his rain gauge. Normally, he would have expected to have 2-3 inches of rain in that time period.

Irrigation of strawberries and other crops has become a 20-hour-a-day routine for Beans and Greens workers, Howe said. And the farm has had to feed its cattle hay that it would normally sell because the season’s first hay crop is almost gone and “there’s virtually no second hay crop” as usual at this time of year because of the lack of rain.

The lack of rain is causing delays in other crop production, Howe said, and windy conditions have made the situation worse.

“We seem to be at the epicenter of a drought, we’re really hurting. It’s slowing the crops down. When you start irrigating at this level, it’s almost an everyday job in itself.”

Whittemore said farmers throughout the state are hurting because of the drought.

“It’s the same for most of us, if we keep having to irrigate, we’re going to run out of water,” she said. “The upper soils are dry, and the lower soil doesn’t have as much moisture because of the lack of snow last winter.”

“And it’s not like there’s any light at the end of the tunnel (in the weather forecast),” said Howe. “A few thunderstorms here and there isn’t enough to penetrate ground that is this dry.”

dseufert@newstote.com