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Rain Hits Delaware Pumpkin Crop, Virginia Unaffected

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The pumpkin crop in Delaware is down.

And that has caused Johnson’s County Market along Route 20 to close this season.

The co-owner Keith Jonson told the Wilmington News Journal that the local pumpkin crop has been hit pretty hard.

The paper says that the cooler temperatures and heavy rains killed the first crop of pumpkins this July and by the end of the month it was too late for farmers to replant. 

The high humidity and rain has caused the pumpkins to rot leaving them susceptible to powdery mildew.

Johnson says while his pumpkins suffered the weather has been good for his corn crop.

Virginia

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - State agriculture officials say this year's wet weather hasn't affected Virginia's pumpkins. But some might be bigger and heavier than last year's crop.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services says big orange Halloween pumpkins are available across Virginia at pick-your-own farms, roadside stands, farmers' markets and big box stores.

Small orange or white pumpkins also are available, along with a variety of specialty pumpkins and gourds.

The agriculture department says consumers should look for good color, a nice handle on the stem, and no soft spots. Pumpkins that aren't carved should last through Thanksgiving as a fall decoration.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.