BALDWINSVILLE --
Brian Reeves of Reeves Farms, in Baldwinsville, would normally be getting ready to plant cabbage plants by now but thanks to April's near record rainfall, he says he's not sure when he will get the plants in the ground this season.
"You've just got to wait. You're going to do more harm if you rush it. You have to wait for it to dry out and we are at the mercy of Mother Nature in that regard," he says.
Crops are filling up greenhouses across Central New York as farmers wait for a break in the rain. Early crops like strawberries have already been planted but thanks to the cool, wet weather, Reeves says they are not growing like they normally do.
Like many farmers, Reeves operates on a tight budget and says he's concerned about the slow start.
"It's not like we can just go to pot this year and say that's okay, we'll live off our reserves. We don't have any reserves. Every spring you borrow money. We've borrowed a ton of money already this spring," he says.
If the wet weather continues through May there is concern that it could drive up food prices but Reeves says there is still plenty of time for things to turn around.
"Water tables are up, the ponds are full, wells are drying up, there are a lot of other things you could be worrying about now," he says.
