If you’ve bitten into a Georgia peach this summer, it may not have tasted so sweet. That’s because rain has soaked the South this season, wreaking havoc on its crops – many of which end up in grocery stores throughout the East coast.
Ironically, Southern peaches may look better than ever. The wet conditions have made them large and perfectly round. But the water also dilutes the sugar content, making them far less sweet.
Farmers in the South rely on hot, dry summers and are reeling from the massive increase in rain. As a whole, the United States has seen rainfall about six percent above average this year – but in states like Georgia, that number is more like thirty percent.
Corn has grown moldy, tomatoes are splitting, and crops are vulnerable to diseases. And watermelon, a Labor Day favorite, has been washed out. Some watermelon farmers in the South estimate they’ve lost half their crop. The watermelons that survived are, like peaches, lacking in flavor.
There is little farmers can do to salvage a rainy season. One option is to cover a field in a plastic coating to protect from too much rain. But this expensive, and it has to be done during the planting phase, before weather conditions for the season are fully known – so it’s always a gamble.
For shoppers, grocery store produce may be a letdown this year. And the smaller supply can mean higher prices.
Your best bet is to check out farmers’ markets. You won’t find a Georgia peach, but you will find tasty, fresh produce grown locally, and support local farmers in the process.
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With Too Much Rain in the South, Too Little Produce on the Shelves
Photo, taken on July 16, 2006, courtesy of Chris Fannin via Flickr.
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