A classic fall tradition is picking out the perfect jack-o-lantern pumpkins from local growers in preparation for Halloween, but this fall, finding that perfect orange canvas might just be a little bit more difficult.
This past summer's low temperatures and heavy amounts of rain have affected pumpkin crops along the East Coast, limiting the number of perfect jack-o-lantern or pie-producing pumpkins eager children and adults can pick in some regions, and delaying the arrival of pumpkin products in stores.
The Boston Globe has reported that the large amounts of rain in June and July and extreme heat in August have made it difficult for farmers in New England to raise their normal size crops. In Maine, farmers are facing a 50 percent loss in the harvest size, a cost estimated at $1 million. Normal pumpkin crops in New England can provide the area's economy with $15 million.
Agricultural experts are saying that for many pumpkin fields, the cool temperatures and wet summer delayed pollination, leaving mushy seedlings or ruined full-grown pumpkins in their wake. In this picture from the Times Record Herald, New York farmer Wade Sauchuk examines his poor pumpkin crop. AOL News also has a picture of ruined pumpkins.
To remedy the shortage in New England, farmers are having tens of thousands of pumpkins brought to the area from the upper Midwest, where harvests were not affected as severely.
Pumpkin crops in the Midwest were helped rather than hindered by the increased rainfall seen this past summer. Illinois is the nation's number one pumpkin-producing state, with 13,679 acres of land and 502 farms dedicated to the crop. While Illinois is pulling through, other states like Arkansas, which saw two weeks of rain, and some regions of Minnesota will be seeing fewer pumpkins.
The nation's other top states for pumpkin production are currently Pennsylvania, California, Ohio and Michigan. Harvests are still predicted to be average this year in these states.
Seven out of every eight pumpkins will be used for decorational purposes or jack-o-lanterns. For those who find their perfect pumpkins, wiping the outside with a solution of one part bleach and 10 parts water, particularly around the stem, may help to remove diseases and bacteria and help the pumpkin stay healthy longer.
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Brittany Stoner
Fox Weather Correspondent
Penn State University, Print Journalism and Spanish
