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RED WING, Minn. 鈥� To mark the beginning of July, vegetable growers and educators gathered for a timely webinar led by Natalie Hoidal, a vegetable specialist with the University of Minnesota Extension. 

The session focused on two key themes: recovering from recent crop damage caused by extreme weather, and using succession planting to maintain fall production and meet demand from institutions like schools, hospitals and restaurants. 

Hoidal emphasized that recent extreme weather events, including hail and excessive rainfall, are not anomalies, but part of a long-term trend.

鈥淭his isn鈥檛 just a weird spring. This is the new norm. And if we鈥檙e going to keep growing food successfully, we need to adapt,鈥� Hoidal said.

Over the past 130 years, Minnesota has become progressively wetter, especially in spring. This year, central areas of the state received up to 16 inches of rain above average in just 60 days, she said.

"At 35 different weather stations across the state of Minnesota, we broke records for the most rainfall seen in the single event," Hoidal said. 

Sara George, market manager for the Red Wing Farmers Market, noticed something unusual a few weeks ago when customers were warning each other to arrive early or risk missing out on vegetables entirely.

鈥淔armers are still bringing stuff, but it's minimal,鈥� George said.

She checked in with other market managers across the state 鈥� they were seeing the same thing. The reasons? A tough combination of slow spring warming, too much rain, strong winds, hail, and now extreme heat disrupting pollination.

鈥淚t鈥檚 dropping all the flowers off our zucchini and our cucumbers, and they鈥檙e not turning into fruits,鈥� George said. 

George sees her role as twofold: helping connect farmers to resources and educating the public.

鈥淚 think we need to raise awareness that our vegetable vendors are doing the best they can,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here will be more vegetables coming.鈥�

Though many farmers understand that this year鈥檚 weather challenges are unavoidable, customers may not.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really a struggle,鈥� George said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to lose support for the farmers markets.鈥�

George encourages shoppers to embrace produce that may look different due to hail damage but is still fresh and flavorful.

鈥淗ow do we tell a community that this is OK? Because it is,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 hail. It鈥檚 not disease, it鈥檚 not gross, it鈥檚 just deformed.鈥�

Contributed / Sara George

She also advises farmers not to give up too soon.

鈥淚 had three farmers tell me this year that they lost 100% of their crop after the hail hit,鈥� she said. 鈥淲ithin a week and a half, they were like, 鈥極h, I might get about 50%.鈥欌��

George likens the hardship plants face to what humans endure during bad weather.

鈥淭he plants can鈥檛 run for cover. We have to give them time to regroup," she said. 

This season started with low temperatures and Canadian wildfire smoke that blocked sunlight, followed by flooding rains, wind, hail 鈥� and now scorching heat.

鈥淚鈥檝e heard from so many farmers say this is the hardest year they鈥檝e ever experienced,鈥� she said.

Flooded fields also prevented weeding, further stunting crop growth.

George urges shoppers to stay committed to supporting the local food community. 

鈥淚f the community knows that A, farming is hard, and B, this year has made it even harder 鈥� don鈥檛 give up if you go to the market and don鈥檛 see much," she said. "Just go early if you really want vegetables, and thank the farmer 鈥� because they鈥檙e really struggling.鈥�