WOODBURY, Conn. — Over the last month, 'The Farm' on Rt. 132 in Woodbury has seen more rain than its crops can handle.
"We had locally two inches here, then we had another two inches, and then Ida dumped about five and a half inches here. And caused some major flooding across the property," said Farmer and General Manager Michael Berecz, who is also co-owner of The Farm.
The flooding was the worst at their location on Weekeepeemee Road., which is their main attraction. They have pumpkins, a farm stand, yoga, painting, and more to offer. The family-owned farm was looking to open its space exploration-themed corn maze this weekend. Because of the flooding, however, they had to postpone opening day and hand out refunds until the grounds clear up.
"It's just not ready. The corn maze is ready, and the corn looks good, and the maze is all fine, it's just the ground is completely saturated. Where I'm standing now, I'm actually sinking. I've got about 10 inches of mud in my boots," Berecz said.
But the major impact is not on the corn maze, it's on the entire growing season. Much of their crop is now soaked with water and it's a total loss. Berecz estimates they lost more than $100,000 in pumpkins and peppers alone. That financial and physical impact will carry on into next year.
"We don't get that money back. We don't get the chance to say, 'Oh, we'll just grow more again.' The season is winding down, the days are getting shorter and cooler, and we really counted on the main harvest right now," Berecz said.
Adding to this financial burden, Berecz said their business was already in the red this year. Last year, they saw an increase in folks visiting The Farm. But now, they are short on staff and the numbers in visitors fluctuate.
It's a similar story for many Connecticut farmers.
"I think farmers really need the community support more than ever. and the education of the community understanding...what it takes to make the food from the field come to your table," Berecz said.
In order to support local farmers, Berecz said people should look for local products at their grocery stores, go to farmer's markets, visit farm stands, or get involved with Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).
For more information about The Farm, click here.
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