Recent weather changes have presented advantages and disadvantages for local farmers in the region.

Despite rising and falling temperatures, farmers have had to make do with what the climate offers. With recent highs in the 90s compared to highs in the 70s and 80s, farms can see blooms or stunts depending upon what is being grown. Local farmers are nonetheless still optimistic about this year's harvest."Everything will be fine so long as the rain keeps up," says Henry Stehr of Kenneth Stehr and Sons Farm in Schuylkill County. Stehr's farm mostly grows fruits and vegetables, but also includes some grain and soybeans as well. Stehr says that this year's weather so far has hurt some crops but helped others."The fruit looks OK. Our apricots and plums were hurt during the cold, especially with the snow in March," said Stehr. "But our berries are doing fine. This is actually perfect weather for the berries."Stehr says the main thing the farm is relying on currently is rainfall. "A farm needs 1 inch of rainfall a week to keep going. So long as the rain keeps up, we'll be OK." Stehr added that cooler temperatures earlier in the week and earlier in the year helped some crops such as potatoes.Jamie Gould of Gould's Produce Farm in Brodheadsville says that in his 15 years of farming there is not much one can do to fight intense heat."In early spring you can irrigate for frost protection, but there's not really much you can do for this extreme heat," says Gould. "You're sort of at the mercy."Gould's Produce Farm plants "a little bit of everything," says Jamie, but they are known in part for local strawberries, an area favorite. Gould too says that keeping the plants hydrated is the most important thing in keeping the berry fresh."If it's too dry, the stuff doesn't grow. If there's too much rain, they rot, and if it stays brutally hot like this, it sunburns the berries and you can't pick them."Other produce is not in jeopardy with the heat, says Gould. Plants that have not yet grown berries are thriving in recent heat. With rain or irrigation, plants having recently been planted grow better in intense heat."Very young plants with no fruit yet are doing very good. Our tomatoes are growing like weeds, same with our pepper plants."Richard Graver of Graver's farm in Lehighton also voiced optimism about recent rainfall."There wasn't much of an effect. We can always use the heat and the rain. This time of year we've got to take what we can get," said Graver.Graver, who mostly grows fruits and vegetables, said that in the spring torrential rain can cause damage, but in summer months exceptionally heavy rain is much safer."In the spring you get more destruction, the soil doesn't dry up as much and there's less cover so you get more erosion. Now with coverage and heat the soil will dry faster and the earth doesn't erode so much so it doesn't hurt much at all."