How Local Farms are Dealing with the Dry Spell

The dry and dusty conditions that we have experienced in northeast Michigan over the last couple of weeks are affecting our local farms.

At MacArthur Farms in Lachine, it’s hay season, and the hay quality is down because of the dusty conditions. Their cattle eat the hay, which affects their growth.

“They obviously get fed the hay, and also we have our pond that they drink from in the summer, and that’s low right now, and so we’re watching it carefully to make sure it doesn’t run dry for them,” said Sara MacArthur of MacArthur Farms.

Maple trees are dehydrated, as evident by their curled up leaves, which is threatening next year’s maple season. Soy beans are shorter than they usually are.

If the farm doesn’t receive rain soon, there will be significant implications and they may have to start taking alternatives.

“We have what we need for first cutting hay for our cattle for this winter, but normally we sell second cutting hay and if we don’t get that water within the next couple weeks, you’re going to see a crop that just simply doesn’t exist,” said MacArthur.

If there isn’t a significant amount of rainfall by the Fourth of July, there’s going to be trouble, and that trouble may come for customers at the supermarket.

“All of those animals need water in terms of their hay and their grain if the farmers use grain, and if we don’t have that, you’re going to see significant raises in prices at the grocery store unfortunately, or even with your local farmer,” said MacArthur.

While MacArthur Farms prepared for the dry spell, they’ve still been affected by the domino effect of it.

“What affects the local farmer is going to affect the local person who shops at the grocery store,” said MacArthur.

Local farms are looking for some rainfall, and they need it soon.