VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Hampton Roads is gearing up for another possible round of wet weather Friday, and for some strawberry farms, the rain, along with the up-and-down temperatures, is causing problems.
“It’s been a rollercoaster. Those temperature swings and all...the plants feel it," said Jeb Cullipher, part-owner of Cullipher Farm Market.
Farming is a science and many variables go into producing the right crop.
For as long as he can remember, Cullipher has worked to master the science of strawberries, but some things are out of his control -- mainly, the weather.
“Really the back and forth, the temperature swings have been the biggest thing for us in addition to the rain," he said.
He said recent rain and unseasonably hot temperatures make circumstances a bit tricky for Cullipher Farm Market.
“Sugar and water are not a good combination," he said.
It is currently strawberry picking season, and Cullipher said consistent rainfall isn’t good for the crop. He said the combination of sugar and moisture creates a breeding ground for fungus and bacteria, and they’re having to toss out a lot of fruit.
“We have to keep the fruit that’s turned because of this wet weather," he said. "We’ve got to get that off the plants.”
But the wet weather isn’t just bad for crops, Cullipher said it is affecting customer traffic.
Though Cullipher wouldn’t call recent rain "excessive," it’s when it rains that matters. The rain often falls on peak business days, so they’re seeing fewer visitors than normal to the farm.
"At the end of the day, that fruit has to go somewhere and if nobody wants to come out, you can’t enjoy the weather," he said.
Cullipher said he expects strawberry picking season to last for about another three weeks. They’re hoping they’ll get a good stretch of weather over that time, though they know it's out of their control.
“To see sunshine on the forecast definitely is a good feeling," he said.
To combat the up and down season, Cullipher said they started picking their own strawberries to sell for pick-up orders.
They’re hoping things are better for the upcoming blueberry picking season, which starts this weekend.