This summer, there were perfect weather conditions in Central New York for growing pumpkins. But for Cicero “Pumkin” Patch, this couldn’t be further from reality. Now as the calendar marks October and pumpkin picking time, the harvest takes a hit.
CICERO, N.Y. (NCC NEWS) – There’s no better time for pumpkin picking than October.
Halloween is just around the corner, the air becomes crisper, and the leaves begin to change colors.
But for one pumpkin patch nearby, fall is a little different this year.
For Chet Dudzinski, co-owner of Cicero “Pumkin” Patch, he has lost a large majority of his pumpkin harvest.
“We had five and a half inches of rain here. But if you were to go 5-6 miles east of here, they didn’t have a problem,” said Dudzinski.
Different farms all around Dudzinski’s are experiencing one of the best times for harvesting pumpkins. For most, the weather this summer in Central New York was perfect. Not too hot and just the right amount of rain. It just didn’t happen for everyone.
“Most of our summer rainfall comes from storms. So. fronts move in. Cold front move in usually from Canada and hit some warm air that’s on top of us. And they’re variable,” says SUNY ESF Associate Professor of Ecology, Colin Beier. “So you can get a lot more rain in certain areas than others.”
For Dudzinski, he found that while many of his larger pumpkins did not survive the rain. However, it was his smaller ones that did.
“I lost primarily a lot of my larger pumpkins, the smaller ones for some reason survived. I’m not quite sure why because they were in the same fields. But for whatever reason, the larger ones couldn’t handle the amount of rain that we got,” Dudzinski said.
While many of the larger pumpkins at Cicero “Pumkin” Patch did not survive the summer rain, the smaller pumpkins battled the elements.
In the end, he is not too concerned. For farmers around here, there’s a symmetry.
“I’ve had good years, and they’ve had bad years. So, it kind of goes around in the business where everybody evens it out eventually.”
Transcript
Caleb Nice: THE ARRIVAL OF OCTOBER SIGNALS HALLOWEEN IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER; MEANING IT’S TIME TO PICK SOME PUMPKINS. TO GROW A PUMPKIN, IT’S NOT TOO COMPLICATED
Chet Dudzinski: You need a half inch of rain a week, sunny skies, and sun. That’s all you need. But you only need a half-inch, not five and a half inches at a time.
Nice: FOR CICERO “PUMKIN” PATCH CO-OWNER, CHET DUDZINSKI, IT WAS A LOT OF THE LATTER.
Dudzinski: We had five and a half inches of rain here. But if you were to go 5-6 miles east of here, they didn’t have a problem.
Nice: FOR THOSE OTHER FARMS – IT WAS A SUMMER OF PERFECT WEATHER RESULTING IN A GREAT HARVEST. SUNY-ESF ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR COLIN BEIER SAYS SUMMER RAINFALL IS OFTEN BE IRREGULAR.
Colin Beier: Most of our summer rainfall comes from storms. So. fronts move in. Cold front move in usually from Canada and hit some warm air that’s on top of us. And they’re variable. So you can get a lot more rain in certain areas than others.
Nice: NOW FOR THE SUMMER SEASON HERE AT THE PUMPKIN PATCH, THE LARGER PUMPKINS, LIKE THESE ONES BEHIND ME, FELT THE EFFECTS OF THE WEATHER THE MOST. BUT, THE MESSAGE MUST’VE NOT HAVE TRAVELED DOWN THE STEM TO LITTLE ONES LIKE THESE.
Dudzinski: I lost primarily a lot of my larger pumpkins, the smaller ones for some reason survived. I’m not quite sure why because they were in the same fields. But for whatever reason, the larger ones couldn’t handle the amount of rain that we got.
Nice: BUT IN THE END, IT ALL FINDS A WAY TO LEVEL OUT
Dudzinski: I’ve had good years, and they’ve had bad years. So, it kind of goes around in the business where everybody evens it out eventually.
Nice: CALEB NICE, N-C-C NEWS