Jamie Jackman, left, Zara Munas and Lem Seaward are all with the Pye Centre for Northern Boreal Food Systems in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador. (John Gaudi/CBC)
Farmers at the Pye Centre in Happy Valley-Goose Bay are reporting water scarcity, hotter summers and less rainfall and snowfall — and it’s having an impact on their crops.
“Something’s happening,” said farmer Lem Seaward. “It was pretty predictable here over climate, and now you’re not sure if you’re going to have snow or not have snow.”
The Pye Centre for Northern Boreal Food Systems is part of Memorial University and grows a variety of crops like corn and cabbage. Their main water supply for the farm is a nearby irrigation pond that fills up with the accumulation of rain and snow over the year.
But the lack of water has caused some crops, like strawberries, to suffer greatly.
“We lost all our strawberry plants for the last two years,” said Jamie Jackman, another worker on the farm.
He says the farm planted 2,000 strawberry seeds and the few that did survive are small.
“I’m not confident in making any claims as to what it is that’s causing it,” Jackman said. “But I’m not a skeptic when it comes to climate or environmental changes in general, because I see it.”
Listen to the full interview with CBC Radio’s Newfoundland Morning:
Jackman says the climate, the soil and the crops are all interconnected. And as farmers, especially in subarctic regions like Labrador, they see the effects of those changes first.
The warmer weather has some benefits, he says. The corn soaks up the warmth and grows. However, those crops need water, too, and plenty of it.
Adapting to the changeÂ
The farm is looking at ways to adapt to the changes, becoming more self-reliant while focusing on sustainability. For example, they’re using their own fertilizers, planting crops that help maintain soil moisture and growing compatible plants together — a method called companion planting.
The farm is also considering using windmill pumps to tap into the water underground.
“If that works, maybe it’s a solution for other farmers in the area as well,” Jackman said.
Agriculture in general needs to adapt, Seaward says, as food security is part of an interconnected chain. Less water means fewer crops are grown and harvested affecting the end user.
“We’ve got to have people who are basically in the chain of power that can help us do this, too,” he said. “To find ways [farmers] can get easier access to water, we’ve got to find a solution.”
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