FISHERVILLE, Ky. - The record-breaking heat, coupled with drought for weeks on end, has damaged some Kentucky farmers' crops. It could mean fewer pumpkins this fall, and even damage to hemp. 

Farmers say it’s a tale of two extremes. A very wet spring pushed some planting back, and the drought on young plants in need of rain did the damage.

Fields are full of leftover pumpkins at Carson Nation's family patch. Many are rotten, too damaged from the drought to harvest; some are too weak to sell as quality pumpkins. They've picked what they can, for Nation's niece to sell for college money.

“This year has kind of taken a toll on our crop," says Nation. His family has been farming in Fisherville for generations. Although they have experience in their blood, he says struggle of relying on Mother Nature for success never gets easier.

"Usually, we’re used to a much thicker inch and half or two-inch wall. These [pumpkins] are barely an inch, so they will rot a lot faster. As you can see, they’re starting to rot in the field and they’re a lot lighter. This type of pumpkin should be 25 to 30 pounds," he explains. 

Aside from Nation's pumpkin patch, he grows hemp. He's been successful, traveling and giving talks around the country, teaching other farmers about the popular crop. But some of the hemp has been damaged too, with too much of the psychoactive chemical THC to be used for cannabidiol (CBD). 

"It’s made our THC levels spike, close enough to be over the threshold for the state of Kentucky’s hemp program," Nation says. 

“I mean, this year’s been kind of a struggle because of the drought that we’ve been experiencing for the last couple months, but it’s exciting to be in a new industry, a hot industry that is giving passion back to agriculture," he remarks, on a positive note.