HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT)-We’re just over a month away from Halloween, and this year those pumpkins may not only be harder to find; they could be even smaller than usual because of the weather.
From New Jersey to Texas and right here in Kentucky, farmers have battled harsh conditions that are squashing their perfect pumpkin dreams.
In Paducah, Kentucky, the summer heat is followed by too much rain, ringing in nightmares. With Paducah seeing 200% of their normal rainfall accumulation in the last three months
Nathan Huyck says the downpours have turned his gourds ghoulish, only producing 50% of his usual crop.
“I ended up having 10 inches of rain in August here. I think last year, the year before that, we had one inch of rain in August. So it’s quite a difference. We went out probably a month ago, and just the blooms weren’t opening, and we couldn’t hardly find any pumpkins.”
Experts say despite the fright, it’s not dire everywhere, especially in Illinois, the largest pumpkin-producing state in the country. Farmers say they were worried early into the season, but overall, it’s looking good.
So, farmers say the first two weeks of October are the best for buying pumpkins. Bright oranges are the strongest and ripest ones, and you need to keep them out of the sun.
