Urban farms in New Orleans, Louisiana struggling amid heat, drought
10/24/2023 11:51:06 AM
CATEGORIES:
Agriculture
Business & Industry
Society & Public Health
Water Supply & Quality
AFFECTED AREAS:
Orleans Parish, LA
New Orleans, LA
Start Date: 10/11/2023
-
A farm in New Orleans that grows lettuce, arugula and other leafy greens lost thousands of dollars’ worth of lettuce, but still managed to provide customers with leafy greens. Farm operators watered 22 hours a day, but were going to pull that back to 15 or 16 hours a day. One urban farm spent $1,500 during two weeks in September to increase their irrigation capacity.
Another urban farm has delayed communicating about this season’s subscription service due to uncertainty of intense heat and drought. Drought will also determine how much local farms can help with food insecurity in New Orleans. The growing season was getting started in the Greater New Orleans area. Local farmers were already enduring crop loss from drought.
Verite News (New Orleans, La.), Oct 11, 2023
Sources
