Farmers adapt growing methods in face of unpredictable weather

As temperatures rise and the weather becomes less predictable, some New Brunswick farmers are working to combat the effects climate change is having on their ability to produce food.

Heat warnings have been in effect in different parts of the province since early July, leaving many crops dry and causing a hay shortage, whilea late frost in June ruined many fruit crops.

According to Brittany Maguire, environmental projects co-ordinator with the Atlantic Canadian OrganicRegional Network, farmers are learning to expect changing and unpredictable growing seasons.

It's been a tough season, but we're starting to get used to tough seasons.- Kevin Arseneau, Kent County

"In general, the average annual air temperatures are rising, and they are going to continue to rise," she said.

"There will still continue to be really cold days because that's an average annual temperature, but the periods of sustained high temperatures will be longer and are already longer."

Maguire said more rain is also in the forecast.

"But in the form of more intense rainfall in a short period of time, with longer periods of time in between."

Farmers are noticing the change.

Kevin Arseneauat the Cooprative FermeTerre Partage in Rogersvillecalled his strawberry crop a "complete disaster."

"It's been a tough season, but we're starting to get used to tough seasons," saidArseneau, whois also the Green Party candidate for Kent-North.

"It's not the first one that we had and definitely not the last."

Diversifying less risky

Arseneau said he and other members of the organic farm co-operative diversify to help deal with unpredictable weather patterns.

"By doing 55 varieties of vegetables on the farm, some stuff some years [is] doing not very good and some stuff is doing good."

"So it's not like a monocrop, where if we lose something, we lose everything."

• Apple growers in Kent County face devastating loss from late frost
• Drought-reduced hay crop causes headaches for farmers

He also grows eggplants undercaterpillar tunnels togive them a jump on the season. Heat-loving onions rise out of black plastic, laid to keep thecrop warm, andbroccoli grows out of the groundcovered in white plastic, put down to reflect sun, cooling the soil.

Arseneausaid some of his fields are irrigated but others aren't. He plans to increase his ability to water crops in the fields but noted that it's expensive.

"Just doing a well is $10,000, and we haven't bought a hose or a sprinkler yet."

Government offers some help

The province is partnering with the federal government to offer some funding to farmers. Bruce Kinnie,manager of environmental services with the Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries, said about $1.7 million is being made available to farmers under the environmentallysustainable agriculture program.

The money could help combat soil erosion and help improve farmers' water supply, for example.

Kinnie said if there is one positive aspect to climate change in this region, it's that it may extend the growing season.

The future may bring "abetter chance to grow heat-loving crops but (farmers) willprobably have to do a better job of saving water to grow those crops with," he said.

Maguire said the organic network is starting a new project to help collect information that may be helpful to farmers in the face of climate change.

The group is also hoping to develop a network for farmers to share their problems and the solutions they've developed.