Around Natick, Massachusetts, local apple orchards and pumpkin patches are ready for the fall rush, but they are still feeling the consequences of the summer drought.  In some cases, pumpkins may be a bit smaller this season due to the lack of water.

Of course, the drought is forcing some growers to choose which crops get additional water, and which don't. Belkin Family Lookout Farm has been around since the 1651. Typically, they have water on site, but three weeks ago they ran out.

Jay Mofenson, Farm Operations Manager at Belkin Family Lookout Farm: "We just had such a long stretch of lack of adequate rain that it's been a drain on the system. The crop is going to look very similar to last year's crop. The negative of that is the expense to provide that experience is now going to be an additional six-figure expense."

This is the first time they are paying for city water to keep their apples on track. They are currently spending almost $3,000 a day on water. Belkin Family Lookout is getting creative to conserve water where they can. They are creating berms in their roadways to capture any flowing water into catch basins. In the future, those berms will become permanent speed bumps.

Source - https://www.freshplaza.com