A soggy spring and dry mid-summer was the opening to an unpredictable growing season for Bucks County farmers, writes Elisabeth Seidel for the Bucks County Courier Times. 

“Weather has been a big challenge this year,” said farmer Andrew Frankenfield. 

Frankenfield is also a teacher at Penn State Extension, a Penn State University program offering education in agriculture, horticulture, and related fields. He noted that “excessive amounts of rain” early in the season are challenging for the growing season. 

Bucks County had over eight inches of rain in May, the highest amount that month in two decades. However, in July, the rain stopped, and most of the county has seen below-average rainfall. 

The sudden change feels like whiplash for farmers who lack commercial irrigation systems or large-scale greenhouses to help mitigate those extremes. 

“Some rain would be helpful about now,” said Mark Hockman, a Hilltown Township farmer. “Not the two, three inches we were getting there in May and June at the time, but a little bit here and there.” 

For many farmers that planted corn, now is crucial. While the crop is growing well, it is at a critical stage for ear development, when adequate rain is necessary. 

Read more about the challenging season for Bucks County farmers and other agriculturists in the area in the Bucks County Courier Times. 

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