Louisville, Ky. (WDRB News) -- The summer drought has been devastating for many Kentucky farmers, especially in the western part of the state. The drought is affecting the number of farmers taking part in this year's Kentucky State Fair.
The fair is a showcase for Kentucky's agricultural industry. But because of the severe drought it has been a pretty tough growing season for many Bluegrass farmers.
"This year has been pretty horrible with no rain," says Darrell Downey, a farmer from Mercer County who was setting up his display in the West Hall of the Expo Center on Tuesday.
Downey says he has watched his corn crop wither away in the parched fields. This year he says it has been a double whammy. "Not only a lack of water," Downey explains, "but also for the corn, when you get temperatures more than a hundred degrees the corn is not going to pollinate so even if you had plenty of rain it would not have done any good."
Downey, who is a past blue ribbon winner, says his potato and cabbage crops turned out pretty well so he hopes to win a ribbon or two from them.
It is an annual rite for he and his fellow farmers to compete at the state fair, but because of the drought the number of farmers participating this year is down.
On a scale of one to ten with ten being the highest, Downey rates his growing season with maybe a one -- not too good.
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