Cool, wet weather and a late start to the growing season have put some Maritime crops two weeks behind schedule.
“Everything is growing good right now, the spring has been warmer also, so basically we're seeing that the crop looks better than last year, even if we're late,” says Bouctouche, N.B. farmer Francois Lavigne.
That's not the case in Nova Scotia.
“It was growing well, and everything just sort of stopped,” says Port Williams, N.S. farmer Josh Oulton.
Nova Scotia farmers need a warm spell to turn things around after a cold, wet spring.
Oulton says growing tunnels are the only reason his heat loving crops, like tomatoes and peppers, are on schedule.
“Right now that is a saving grace for us this year,” says Oulton. “Because you go in there now and it's hot. So, through all of this kind of nasty weather, these have had the benefits of plastic to keep them warm.”
Excessive snowfall also put farmers behind. In an average year, fields are planted by April 25th. This year, crops weren't in the ground until May 8th.
“We do see a big rush when all that fresh produce comes to the market, we see a big rush of the clients coming in because that's what they're looking for,” says Mathieu d’Astous, of the Dieppe Farmers’ Market.
The farmers say, despite the delay, they have faith the crops will work out.
“After you've been in it a number of years, you realize that it sort of balances out by the end of the year,” says farmer Christian Michaud.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Jonathan MacInnis
