MADISON, Wis. — As the summer months continue, so do the dry conditions that are plaguing many counties throughout the dairy state.
According to the most recent data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, large areas of northwest Wisconsin are suffering from extreme drought conditions.
On Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture declared 27 counties natural disaster areas, with Dane County being one of the driest areas.
Chris Krisch is the owner of Enchanted Valley Acres, which mainly functions as a tree farm.
“I love being outside every day but probably the best part is when we are open and people get to come here and cut their own tree and they are happy and we’re happy,” said Krisch.
Krisch maintains 40 acres of trees on his over 100 acres of property.
In early spring, he and his team planted 5,500 new trees. Not long after that, Dane County started to experience some of its driest conditions.
“During May and June it was incredibly dry, there was no dew in the morning,” said Krisch.
Within those months, Krisch was driving around to all the newly planted trees with a large tank and a probe, injecting them with water. Despite his efforts, he lost 30% of his newly planted crop.
“So I would say upwards of 2,000 we lost,” said Krisch.
In the early stages of a tree’s life, water is crucial, as they haven’t had the chance to develop a root system.
Krisch said his larger trees had no problem fighting off the dry weather.
“We did not lose any big mature trees,” said Krisch. “When the effects of the drought might be felt is the year 2030. When these little guys that we planted this year grow, there might be a little bit of a gap in the supply.”
Enchanted Valley Acres is not the only farm that has been impacted by the drought.
Chong Victor has been a hobby farmer for three years and he said this is the driest summer he has ever farmed in.
“I use lots of water and spend lots of money for the water,” said Victor.
Victor grows kale, broccoli and onions. He sells them at the Northside Farmers Market in Dane County.
He said the cost of water is something he pays close attention to.
“Some years I spend $500 to $600, while some it is less than $200, it just depends on the rain,” said Victor.
If the drought got bad enough, he said he worries he would have to give up farming.
“I love to work on the farm because I do more exercise and it is good to be outside for a summer job,” said Victor.
Back on the tree farm, Krisch said he thinks they will make it through the rest of the summer with no problems and he looks forward to seeing the smiling faces for their fall festivities.
“We open Sept. 9 for our fall season,” said Krisch. “We have our corn maze. It is a big old butterfly design this year and after we got some rain, the corn really perked up.”
If you have a farm or are struggling with dry conditions, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection has set up a hotline to answer any questions and connect you with emergency resources. The hotline can be reached at 800-422-7128.