“It’s gonna be less predictable and more extreme for long periods of time.”Ĭlimate change, Maslowe said, will challenge the entire farming industry. Last July, on the other hand, was the wettest month in the state’s history, according to MassLive. Department of Agriculture has designated Middlesex County a primary natural disaster area as a result of the drought. “We’re not harvesting tomatoes in quantities that we would in a non-drought year, and, more importantly, every single time we have planted carrots they failed to germinate because the soil was so dry, and every time we planted lettuce it just burned up because we couldn’t water enough.” “Even our trees are wilting on really hot days,” he said. Maslowe, the community farm’s manager since 2006, said the drought is creating more work for his staff, and it’s endangering the farm’s crops. Newton’s drought has reminded many residents and businesses of ecological problems associated with climate change. “We haven’t had hardly any complaints this year.” “Ninety-eight percent of golfers understand of the drought,” he said. Miller credits his clientele’s understanding and acceptance of weather conditions in keeping business thriving. Our soft drink, Gatorade, and even beer sales are way up this year.” “People don’t want to push a cart or carry their bags because it’s so hot. onwards, my golf cart revenue goes up,” he said. “Since the start of this heatwave and drought conditions, from about 10:30 a.m. Miller also said other aspects of the golf course’s business are thriving in the heat. “Our first priority is keeping the tee box nice and green.” “We will lightly spray the fairways, but not using anywhere near the water we would normally use,” he said. Miller says the Newton Commonwealth Golf Course uses a process he calls “light dusting” in order to keep the course healthy but not oversaturated during a drought. However, the state or city might contact us, even if it’s our own well water, asking us to cut back 30 or 40 percent.” “During drought conditions, we already know what to do. “Most of our courses will have our own wells where we pump the water into a big irrigation pond to irrigate the greens,” he said. According to Jay Miller, the company’s director of golf operations, the Newton Commonwealth Golf Course has seen a 17 percent increase in gross revenue. Sterling Golf Management, the company that manages the Newton Commonwealth Golf Course, is one of them. Other businesses have seen an uptick in both revenue and clientele during the hot months. “People are not getting their lawns cut because of the weather,” he said. AJ Juarez, owner of Juarez Landscaping and Tree Services, said the drought is affecting his company’s work. Newton’s businesses are feeling the heat as well. “Drought is also stressing our trees, making them more vulnerable to being uprooted or damaged during storms.” “All of us can easily see that ponds, streams and rivers are low, lawns and gardens are turning brown, the ground is dusty and we know farmers’ yields are down,” Fuller wrote. Īcross the city, Newton is feeling the environmental impacts of the drought. Several months of low rainfall have created conditions sufficient to classify an extreme drought in Newton and other cities, according to Massachusetts’ Drought Management Task Force. Newton has experienced record-high temperatures this summer, exceeding the historical average range of 63–81 degrees Fahrenheit, with some days reaching into the 90s. Rainfall levels in the City of Newton are roughly 9 inches lower than what is expected in a normal year, according to Mayor Ruthanne Fuller’s Aug. About 25 percent of Massachusetts is under the designation of extreme drought. Some are wondering if it is the result of climate change.īoth Middlesex County and Suffolk County, where Boston College’s Newton and Chestnut Hill campuses are located, are categorized as being in a state of extreme drought according to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s drought monitor. For others, like Maslowe, it spells danger for businesses. Whether it be at farms or golf courses, the summer drought has left Newton businesses with changes in revenue. “That is definitely costing us time, which is money.” “We have to move irrigation every hour and a half, all day long, three days a week,” he said. An extreme drought and hot temperatures have endangered the plants’ health, according to Maslowe, the farm’s manager. As Greg Maslowe surveys the Newton Community Farm, he sees dry soil, burned up lettuce, and wilting trees.
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