‘Water, Water Everywhere’: How Extreme Weather is Changing New York’s Farming Industry

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Chamomile, hibiscus, and lemongrass are among the herbs that Kendra Payne, owner of The Herbal Scoop in Narrowsburg, said customers tend to gravitate to in the summertime.

“Everybody’s looking for hydration. Now that we finally have some sunny weather, [people are] pushing into summer flavors, which is incredible,” she said.

But a few of those herbs – like hibiscus, Payne’s favorite herb – do not grow well in drastic weather changes and excessive rain.

Over the past two decades, rainfall in the Catskills region has increased steadily. Annual rainfall in Sullivan County jumped more than 25 inches from 237 inches in 2004 to 264 inches in 2024.

Climate experts warn that climate change is driving heavier rainfall. As the Earth’s temperatures get hotter , the air can hold more moisture. And that warm air can hold more water, releasing more intense, short rainfall across the country, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

This year’s heavy rainfall comes as the Trump administration freezes hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. Department of Agriculture grants, funds that had already been approved. Local farmers worry that climate change, coupled with shifting federal policies, could define the future of the state’s agriculture industry.

READ: Young Farmers Feel the Freeze of Federal Funding

Funding for vital irrigation infrastructure, pulled

Payne was expecting a $50,000 grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service that would have helped build out proper irrigation for her two-acre farm’s high tunnel and a more resilient water management system. The funds have still not been disbursed.

“A lot of water is collecting into the tunnel, which has made about a quarter of [crops] unusable for this season,” she said.

Due to the constant moisture and lack of sun, Payne says, her plants are not doing as well this year. She has tried to use more grow lights to mimic sunnier conditions, but “it’s just really not been enough.”

“I feel behind. I am hopeful with this sunny day that more will come so that I can feel like I can catch up and get the type of harvest that I’ve typically been getting over the last five, six years,” said Payne.

Since Trump’s abrupt funding cuts aimed at shrinking federal spending, Payne says she’s had to scale back her operations and opt for growing more weather-resilient herbs that could handle different climates and temperamental watering patterns. Still, she worries that her number of harvests could shrink, especially with the Catskills’ already short seasons.

“Typically… I can probably get three cuts of [tulsi] in a season. I might be working with two cuts [now] because of the way that things are growing and how small the plants were when they went in to begin with,” said Payne.

Water, water everywhere

Payne is not the only resident who’s had to pivot their operations due to the increased rainfall. At the Livingston Manor Library in early June, Maria Grimaldi hosted ‘Water, Water Everywhere,’ a free water management clinic for homeowners, farmers, and gardeners.

“We’re all agreeing this [rain] is not gonna go away. It’s going to possibly become worse,” said Grimaldi, a garden and permaculture consultant.

Around a large wooden table inside the library, Grimaldi and seven other attendees discussed the risks of extreme weather and exchange permaculture strategies to manage and harvest water in the face of climate change. Excessive precipitation can lead to crop damage, soil erosion, and increased flood risk, according to the EPA. More floods could lead to more injuries, exposure to mold, and infrastructure damage.

Attendees share different plants that thrive in excessively wet soil, like sweet flag and purple iris. Grimaldi said she’s most excited about the exchange of resources to mitigate climate change.

“ What I have found with these workshops is the sharing of information is much more than anything I can bring,” she said.

Back at The Herbal Scoop in Narrowsburg, Payne says that while the federal government has retracted on many of its promises to farmers, it could be an opportunity for local and state governments to step in.

“Sullivan County is built on agriculture,” said Payne, adding that now is a crucial time for farmers, communities, and lawmakers to work together on new sustainable ways to protect the land and keep farming thriving.

“If we don’t have the support coming from local, state and federal levels to help us manage the climate change [and] water management,” added Payne. “I just fear that we’re going to lose more farmers than we’re gonna gain.”

Image: Rain droplets on a watery surface (Photo Credit: Roman Grac, Pixabay, U.S. Geological Survey)