AULT, Colo. — Just miles from Sonrise Farm in Severance, where owners recently announced they will not open their pumpkin patch this fall because they likely won't receive irrigation water during a critical growing period, another Northern Colorado farmer is making a different choice.
Rodney Anderson has planted pumpkin seeds.
Despite one of the driest years he can remember, Anderson says he's willing to take the risk.
"Probably the worst I've ever seen in my life," Anderson said. When Denver7 visited Anderson in Ault, he rushed across his property after discovering sprinklers had turned on.
Every drop of water matters.
Anderson relies entirely on groundwater from his wells to irrigate his pumpkin patch.
Unlike Sonrise Farm, which depends on irrigation water deliveries, his operation has its own wells. But even those are showing signs of strain.
"Hey, we got a couple of wells that are down. One of them's not pumping right now, but if we leave it set for a week or so, it'll come back and pump for a little bit. So we're taking a risk," Anderson said.
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Even with that uncertainty, he decided to move forward with planting.
"We're going to go ahead and do it," he said. Pumpkins are an important part of Anderson's business, and farming has been his life's work.
"Dad let me farm the first farm over at Loveland when I was only 13 years old," Anderson said. But the prolonged drought is threatening more than just this year's harvest.
"This year has been tough. Yeah, I haven't had an income yet, so it's a serious consideration. I hate to... I've done it all my life. But there's a point where you've got to say, 'Okay, enough is enough.'"
When asked what he would do if drought conditions continue for another year or two, Anderson didn't have an answer.
"There's nothing I can do."
For now, he's relying on hope and the weather.
"Keep praying for rain," Anderson said.
