OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — It has been a historically dry season across West Michigan due to lack of rainfall. And even with the drought-like conditions hitting farmers, strawberry season is in full force, and blueberry season is just around the corner.
13 ON YOUR SIDE headed to Ottawa County to speak with farmers about the how they're coping, because they're already facing a groundwater crisis across the county.
According to drought.gov, this is the third driest year for Ottawa County in the past 127 years, with the average rainfall down nearly five inches from normal.
"It was just heartbreaking to see the ground so cracked and dry," said Cindy Visser, with Visser Farms in Zeeland.
"For farms, rain is essential," she added.
Visser Farms grows crops and produce all year round, but this spring season has been tough.
"It is strawberry season," said Cindy Visser, "and we are in full force going as fast as we can and as hard as we can, but we've been struggling with the drought."
Visser Farms has U-Pick Strawberries every year. This season, the lack of rain is forcing them to irrigate their fields, but they make sure to do it wisely to save as much water as possible.
"We've all driven down the road and our had our car get hit by someone's sprinkler," Cindy said. "It's just wasting water on the road. Farmers can't afford to waste a drop."
But even a little dry weather isn't stopping this farming family from doing what they love and producing strawberries for the community.
"In spite of everything with the irrigation and all that, I think we're doing quite well," said Cindy's husband, Phil Visser. "We're very pleased with where we're at."
That's a sentiment shared by Ottawa County farmer Chad Reender, whose family runs Reenders Blueberry Farms out of West Olive.
"It's not a bad year," Reender said. "Every year is different to a farmer, and that's the best part about being a farmer is no two years are ever the same."
"This year we'll just deal with the spring drought, and hopefully get some rainfall," he added.
Reender said blueberry season is still about three weeks away, but that the dry conditions have certainly had an impact on their schedule.
"With the dry seasons like this, it does get difficult to schedule harvests," he said.
Reender said their blueberry season is typically mid-July through the end of September, but depending on conditions that could shift.
But Chad Reender isn't too concerned about the season's drought. He said although they are having to irrigate their crops because of the lack of rainfall, the blueberries are already growing perfectly.
"So other than the slight drought, the bushes look really healthy and it looks to be a really good season," he said.
Phil and Cindy Visser aren't too worried either. They say they'll do what they need to to keep their crops growing on track.
"A wet year will starve you to death, but a dry year will scare you to death," said Phil.
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