Quebec farmers hit hard by rainstorm and flooding

Just a few hours of rain has brought a season's worth of headaches for farmers in Quebec.

Just a few hours of rain brought a season’s worth of headaches for farmers in Quebec.

At Les Jardins DiversiBio in the Eastern Townships, an entire crop of arugula has been wiped out.

“Some crops like, arugula or spinach, that are leafy green don’t like as much water as we’re having right now,” community supported agriculture farmer Melanie McCulloch says.

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) says the region received more than 150 millimetres of rain over the weekend, while rain totals typically range from 80 to 90 millimetres for the entire month of June.

“The problem at this point is not how much, but in how little time. So it’s so abundant. [The rain] just doesn’t have time to go where it’s supposed to go,” McCulloch says.

McCulloch adds that in some areas of the property, the downpour has led to excessive mud, and that has delayed work as tractors can get stuck. So when it comes to some crops, they’ve had to adjust.

“Water on strawberries will [grow] mold. They’ll bring disease. We tried a new technique that is covering them up with a little greenhouse. And at some point in this summer we’ll take it out and we’re going to go cover the tomatoes,” she told CTV News.

Still, McCulloch says all is not lost. There are crops that are less prone to being drowned out.

The farm also grows radish, beets and green onions, all of which can survive the rainier weather, which is good since forecasters say there could be more to come.

“There’s going to be showers and some unsettled weather, so the same kind of weather is going to be around for a couple of days again. Close normal temperatures as we are in right now. Though, we are going to see a change in the last few days of June,” ECCC meteorologist Simon Legault says.