NEWPORT NEWS – It looks like it's going to be slim pickings for pumpkins this year.
Hurricane Irene and simply too much rain, overall, is being blamed for a lousy crop.
"Pumpkins don't like a whole lot of water,” explained farmer Clint Allen. “Over the course of the growing season from July to about now, the ideal is about 10 inches of rain over the total season, instead of 30."
The Allen brothers of Allen's Farm in James City County planted 30 acres of pumpkins this year. The cost to grow an acre with fertilizers and insecticides is about $1,000 an acre. They say half of the crop is a loss.
"It's pretty sickening when you go out and your crop is rotting, It really is," said Barry Allen.
Because there are less pumpkins, buying one will likely cost you more. If you do buy one, It’s recommended you look the pumpkin over to make sure it’s not a bad one.
"Make sure your pumpkin is nice and solid,” said Barry. “Push on it, especially the bottom. The bottom is where it’s been laying on the ground."
The Allen brothers normally sell their pumpkins to grocery stores and theme parks and even have a pick-your-own patch, but this year, they’re importing pumpkins from other parts of the state as well as out of state.
