MANCHESTER - While the drought in the Midwestern states has grabbed the bulk of the headlines and national attention, some local farmers have also been reporting that they are seeing some effects as a result of environmental conditions.

The lack of regular rainfall is one of the environmental factors that some farmers have said is having an impact on their crops.

"We're going to definitely see a decrease in our yields," said Scout Proft, co-owner of Someday Farm. "I think for some plants like our perennial crops, like raspberries and asparagus, the damage has been done to this year's crop already. For annual crops, we're planting every two weeks so we have the ability to recoup losses by replanting."

Not only are the fruits and vegetables being grown on the farm smaller in size this season, but Proft said that they have had to spend anywhere from one to four hours a day irrigating their crops.

Co-owner of Dutton's Farm Stand, Wendy Dutton, has also been seeing some effects from a lack of rain.

"Some of them have suffered. We can't get irrigation to all of our crops," said Dutton. "We do have some corn fields that are drying up. Some of the potatoes are suffering."

Additionally, Dutton said some of the raspberries are drying up faster than normal.

Dutton said that over the past four weeks - perhaps longer - three or four workers have been irrigating the fields for about two hours each day.

The measure is not only more expensive in terms of labor,

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but more money is being spent on fuel to run the pumps, Dutton said.

Another impact is that virtually their entire production is being sold at their three retail outlets and the Brattleboro Farmer's Market. In previous years, Dutton said they would have additional inventory that could be sold to wholesale distributors.

Although the cost of their products have not increased much, Dutton said that the price of the corn and potatoes could rise if there is not an adequate supply.

As for Proft - who is also experiencing an increase costs related to the irrigation of her crops - she said that they have not increased their prices.

Dutton said that while the growing of many of her crops is on schedule for the most part, she said the next month or so would be very telling.

"If it goes another month or so without a significant amount of rain than it would definitely affect the outcome [of the crops,]" said Dutton.

Meanwhile co-owner of Earth Sky Time Community Farm, Oliver Levis, indicated that the lack of rain has not impacted his crops so far this year.

"It's been a really good season for us. I have no complaints," Levis said. "If anything, some of the fruits that we grow, like tomatoes, it's a little bit drier and the sugar is a little bit more concentrated and it makes for sweeter fruit."

Instead, Levis said the challenge he has faced this year is the insects, which have been far more abundant than in past seasons due to the mild winter.

"It's definitely affected our potato crop," said Levis. "That said we planted a huge area, more than ever before, and we'll just have to harvest a little bit earlier."

The insect problem is one that Proft said has presented a challenge for her as well.

"We've definitely seen a lot more insects. We don't do any spraying on our farm, but we're much more cognizant of giving our crops everything they need to grow without stress," she said. "We spread a lot of compost on our crops and we're harvesting in a timely fashion. We're doing a lot of soil tests and we're doing a lot of rotation on crops."

Levis said some of his potato plants are withering and dying earlier because of the insects - especially the Leafhoppers, which suck plant sap from grass, shrubs or trees - of which Levis said there has been an abundance of this season.

"I've never really had a problem with Leafhoppers," he said. "This year there's been really bad infestations of them. It's been much worse than last year."