Plenty of rain in recent months has helped the Cambridge Food Bank's community garden flourish.
Through the garden and donations from the public, the food bank is able to provide fresh produce to those in need.
"With the recent rains, nature has indeed been kind to us," said Jamie Berube, communications coordinator for the food bank.
"Our community gardens have benefited and we've needed to water them less frequently. Although it's still early in the harvest season, we're pleased to report that our community garden harvest is on track."
Weather data from the website weatherstats.ca, which pulls information from Environment and Climate Change Canada, shows precipitation increases so far this summer compared to 2023.
From April to June 2024, a total of 291.6 millimetres of rain fell.
Over the same period in 2023, the total was 192 mm.
The benefits of providing locally grown fruits and vegetables is two-fold, Berube said.
It gives residents healthy options when using the food bank's services, it also aids in environmental sustainability.
"We place great value on fresh food donations," Berube said.
"Not only are they healthy and nutritious, but they also support our commitment to providing environmentally sustainable options to the families we serve. By offering fresh, local produce, we can reduce the environmental impact of long-distance food transportation while prioritizing the health of our community."
Not all crops are the same, however, as some react differently under certain weather conditions.
Rachel Weeks, who works at Barb's farmers' market, has seen varying trends in her time selling produce from a tent parked next to Highway 401 at the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce office on Hespeler Road.
"Rain hurts things like raspberries, so we haven't been getting as many," Weeks said.
"The spring variety ended earlier than expected, so we're having to wait a bit longer to get into the fall variety. The season has been really good for corn because it got hot earlier in the spring than normal. Everything seems to be a week or two ahead."
Weeks said the market hasn't had much of an issue getting anything they need from farmers they partner with, which she believes stems from a good mix of rain and warm temperatures.
As for pricing, she said it typically starts off the same each year and will slowly come down as the summer wears on. But she has noticed a difference with some items.
"I know last year, beans were really expensive at the beginning of the year, whereas this year, they started out $2 lower," Weeks said.
"I'm not sure if that's because there were more beans right away, but that's probably the case. That's usually how it goes. It was hot early but then there's also been lot of rain, so it helps everything grow."
Despite the healthy growing season for the food bank, increased demand continues to put pressure on its operations.
From January to April, food was given to 3,000 unique families, up 80 per cent from the previous year.
Berube hopes if farmers do see a successful growing season, they'll consider donating.
"We deeply appreciate contributions of fresh produce from both community members and local farmers," Berube said.
"These donations are vital in helping us maintain a balanced and healthy food supply for our emergency food hampers. We hope that our local farmers have also benefited from the rain and can consider donating to support the increasing number of people facing food insecurity."
