'Rainy on the wrong days.' Weekend wet weather trend hurts local farms
The rainy weekends are hurting Connecticut farms during a busy time of year for apple and pumpkin picking.
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At Silverman's Farm in Easton, fall typically means big weekend crowds enjoying pumpkin picking, the animal farm and tractor rides. But this season has seen wet weekend after wet weekend, which has cut into business on what's usually some of the busiest days for the farm.
"It seems that Mother Nature likes it to rain on a Saturday or a Sunday. Why? I don't know. But I don't think I can remember a fall that's been this rainy on the wrong days," said owner Irv Silverman.
Silverman isn't wrong. It's been the pattern for a month and a half.
"If we go back to Labor Day weekend, we've picked up rain on a Saturday or a Sunday—if not both—for the last seven weekends. And it's looking like we're coming up on the eighth weekend," explained News 12 Meteorologist Jonathan Cubit.
It's not exactly the forecast Silverman was hoping for.
"It's hurt everyone. It really has," Silverman told News 12. "We really can't make up for it. We just get double busy on the good days."
That was the case this past weekend. He said Saturday was rainy and slow while Sunday saw the sun and people come out. Silverman also said the farm has seen an uptick in weekday visitors once school gets out as some people try to make up weekend plans.
While Silverman is hoping for a drier future, he's not letting recent rain dampen anyone's spirits.
"It's a great time of year! Too late for the beaches but not too late for the farm!" Silverman said.
