NH farmers markets booming despite bad weather

MEREDITH, N.H.—Almost daily rain this summer hasn't dampened business at New Hampshire's farm stands.

"We are just astounded by the number of people shopping here and buying local," said Meredith farmer John Moulton.

Moulton told The New Hampshire Union Leader he's never had a busier summer.

Gail McWilliam Jellie, director of agriculture development at the state Department of Agriculture, said overall New Hampshire's farms have had a good growing season. Hail damaged some produce cosmetically -- which could deter potential customers, she said.

"But if the farmer can explain what the blemish is from, people will be more likely to buy it because they know the blemish is only skin deep," McWilliam Jellie said.

Not every farmers lost crops to hail. Storms are fickle in where they bless fields with the right amount of moisture -- and in the right form, said McWilliam Jellie.

Mouton was one of the unlucky ones.

In June, a hailstorm shredded Moulton's spinach and scarred many of his vegetables which had to be thrown away. He said the recent thunderstorms haven't damaged his crops, but the rain has been problematic.

"All of this water is not what we want to see in growing any crop," Moulton said.

Andy Howe, a Gilford farmer, told The Laconia Citizen cold temperatures and lack of sun delayed the growth of certain crops and led to more diseased produce.

He also said the rain saturated the ground enough to kill off some plants and made it hard to get workers out in field to work.

"The roots get drowned...we've lost at least half of our tomatoes," Howe said.

But Howe also business said at his farm stand is about what it was last year, even with the bad weather.

"The farmers seem to be very pleased," McWilliam Jellie said. "There are more people looking for local stuff. People are going to farmers markets as an easy and convenient way for them to access local foods."