Extreme weather caused by climate change B次元官网网址� droughts followed by heavy rains B次元官网网址� wreaked havoc with the pumpkin harvest across Canada this year.

Nova Scotia pumpkin farmer Danny Dill said the spring planting season was extremely dry. A spell of hot weather and then nearly two weeks of historic wildfires in late May and early June left behind more than 235 square kilometres of scorched ground.

B次元官网网址淚t was just like a dust bowl there,B次元官网网址� said Dill, owner of Howard Dill Enterprises, in Windsor, N.S.

But starting in June heavy rains poured in, which made his farm resemble a waterbed and kept the bees away. When the pumpkin flowers bloomed across his patch, he said, there were fewer bees than usual to pollinate them.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a spooky, really spooky season for a lot of us.B次元官网网址�

This yearB次元官网网址檚 pumpkin harvest in Canada and the United States is a stark reminder of the fact farmers are at the mercy of the weather gods. Climate change led to parts of the continent baking in severe heat this summer and other areas receiving heavy rain. Both extremes were bad for crops.

Some growers in states such as Texas, New Mexico and Colorado lost 20 per cent or more of their predicted yields, while others left their land bare.

Dill said the growing season on his nearly four hectares of land was the worst heB次元官网网址檚 had in 40 years of farming.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e gone through everything in the last five years, whether itB次元官网网址檚 been droughts or hurricanes,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淏ut this year really, really took its toll on us.B次元官网网址�

Mike Williams of Ponoka, Alta., said the weather was so dry when the season began that he irrigated his farm with 12,000 litres of water every week for two months. And while this seasonB次元官网网址檚 crop of 3,000 pumpkins was comparable to last yearB次元官网网址檚, his expected revenue wonB次元官网网址檛 cover the cost of the water bill.

Williams, who owns Mill Tower Ranch, said farming is a B次元官网网址済amble.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淔armers are the best gamblers in the world.B次元官网网址�

Tam Andersen of Prairie Gardens, a 10-hectare farm in Sturgeon County, Alta., said she had a 50-per-cent drop in her pumpkin crop this year. Her farm specializes in blue pumpkins, which have a bluish shell and meat with a sweetish, dry taste, she said.

Although her farm is north of the 56th parallel, she said she was hit with similar weather vagaries as most of the other farmers in Canada.

B次元官网网址淲e planted into ankle deep dust on a whiff and a prayer that it would rain,B次元官网网址� Anderson said.

B次元官网网址淓ventually it did rain but not till July and then it never stopped raining,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淪o we got 25 inches of water in a month, which is pretty much our annual precipitation. The things on the high ground died of drought and the things in the low ground, which were doing splendidly, died drowning. The middle ground was what was left.B次元官网网址�

Farmers are used to variable weather: some seasons are good while others are bad, she said. But because of climate change, she added, a single season could have multiple extremes.

B次元官网网址淲e had our driest ever and our wettest ever back to back within two months of each other. How in the world can you plan for a crop or plan for a harvest when you have 60 days of pure drought followed by 60 days of flooding followed by 60 days when weB次元官网网址檙e again in drought?B次元官网网址�

Not all pumpkin farmers suffered this season, however. Roy Phillips, owner of the PhillipsB次元官网网址� Family Farm, in northwest London, says heB次元官网网址檚 having a crop B次元官网网址渕aybe even a little bit better than normal.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been weird. Back in the summertime, I didnB次元官网网址檛 think that we had a good crop, but they were there. I couldnB次元官网网址檛 really have wished for a better crop.B次元官网网址�

The rains came on time B次元官网网址� although they were followed by drought, which left a few green pumpkins on the vine on his four-hectare farm that wonB次元官网网址檛 make it to the shops or into jack-oB次元官网网址�-lanterns, he said.

But just because this year was good, Phillips said thereB次元官网网址檚 no guarantee it will be a similar result next season.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 the thing,B次元官网网址� he said with a laugh. B次元官网网址淵ou pays your money and you takes your chances.B次元官网网址�

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