By Rachel Cramer
In 2014, the U.S. Department of Agriculture created a network of “climate hubs” to understand how climate change affects agriculture and forestry and help farmers adapt to more extreme and unpredictable weather. Now, the future of these hubs is uncertain.
Jessica Krupicka hops out of her truck on a cold January morning at Heritage Hill Farm in central Iowa. The vegetable plots sleep under cover crops while hollow sunflower stalks guard a patch once blooming with dahlias and zinnias.
“I’m so ready for the day where things are greening up and we’re actually able to start working in the soil again,” Krupicka said.
She runs this diversified organic vegetable farm with her husband, their two boys and some hired help, selling produce directly to consumers and restaurants. Heirloom tomatoes are one of their specialties.
Even as Krupicka looks forward to spring, she says it’s brought new challenges in recent years with heavier downpours and big temperature swings. Waterlogged soil can increase the risk of root rot and other diseases, while erratic temperatures can stress plants and disrupt typical growing seasons.
“We might have a time or stretch of temperatures where it’s just very hot,” Krupicka said. “That really impacts certain crops, especially the lettuce … if they get just too warm, they just get bitter, so you have an unmarketable crop.”
Click here to see more...