That fresh produce you see this summer at local farmers markets is taking an extra toll on the farmers who bring it there.
The hot, dry summer has posed added challenges, worries and work for the producers, who, in some cases, have less to show for the added efforts.
Kitts Gillilan, who farms part time north of Centertown, brings fruits, vegetables and fresh chickens to the Lincoln University farmers market on Saturdays. It is held beside Dwight T. Reed Stadium on Chestnut Street.
A little rain has gone to the north of her farm and a little to the south, but her farm hasn't seen a drop since May.
"I've been watering every day for weeks, and it's not the same," she said. "It keeps plants alive, but they don't thrive. They don't grow as green and lush. They just hang in there, hoping for rain."