Heavy rain causes setbacks for Kenosha County farmers

KENOSHA COUNTY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The rain this week means more trouble for farmers in Kenosha County.

The owners of Jerry Smith’s Pumpkin Farm, Joe and Amy Smith, said they got about half an inch of rain in less than half an hour Tuesday.

It’s been a wet season for them.

The Smiths closed their family attractions on opening weekend because of rain.

They’ve had to close at least one day every weekend since then.

"It's such a short season for us that every day you lose, you don't get back," Joe Smith said.

His wife, Amy, said it’s been frustrating.

“You hope that the weather’s on your side, and really it’s all up to the good Lord,” she said.

All the water has severely damaged large areas of pumpkins in the Smiths’ fields.

Amy says it’s not just pumpkin farmers like her family suffering. It’s all farmers.

“This spring, there were lots of fields that didn’t get planted,” she said. “What are the cows going to eat? It’s kind of scary if you think about it. Your food chain is getting smaller and smaller.”

Amy didn’t want to make it sound like she was complaining though. She said when times are good, her profession is extremely rewarding.

She says maybe her children will eventually see that, because right now, they don’t want to go into the family business.