Local growers weather difficult conditions
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ABOVE: Joe Antram of Lewistown won best of show honors for his red cabbage entry at the open class agriculture show Monday. HOME PAGE SLIDESHOW PHOTO: Alivia Kinney, 6, and her sister, Alex, 9, received second place and third place, respectively, Monday in the decorated cabbage category. (EXAMINER PHOTO | MANDY LOEHR) |
For local farmers and gardeners, this year’s dry growing season has been a stark contrast to last summer’s soggy conditions, exhibitors noted Monday during the open class agriculture show at the Logan County Fair.
Best of show winner Joe Antram said in June 2015, his farm in rural Lewistown received rain every day except for two days that month. However for June 2016, it only rained only two days during the entire month, at least at his property, where he and his wife, Marianne, maintain a half-acre garden, he said.
Agriculture judge Wayne Wickerham of Huntsville, who also is a National Weather Service weather spotter, said the conditions have been weighing on his mind as well.
“I go out to check my rain gauge every day, and most days, I’m not finding much,” he said with a chuckle. “It’s definitely been one of the drier times that we’ve had recently.
“Some of the entries were not developed well at all, but I had to consider what the local growers have been dealt with lately. I could tell the entries where they did some irrigating, including at Joe (Antram)’s property.”
Mr. Antram received the top award for his red cabbage entry, while the reserve best of show agriculture honors were presented to Sheila Campbell of Bellefontaine for her white onions.
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