BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. – At Jeter Farm, the rush is on to get the pumpkins out of the field.
"The heat and the dry weather is kind of taking the vines back and that's why we're getting out here picking them really quick before the sun burns them," Jeter Farm co-owner Ned Jeter Jr. said.
The pumpkins are the least of his worries, though.
"It's been so dry, we're not producing enough hay for the upcoming winter season," said Jeter.
Less hay means corn has to be used to feed cattle, which means less corn he can sell.
"It's got us worried. We raise some of the corn as a cash crop to give us some spending money throughout the winter and also pay our bills and mortgages and whatnot. That cash flow's not going to be there," Jeter said.
He's counting on the farm's fall festival, which starts this weekend, to help.
A few miles away, Layman Family Farms is a little better off.
"We've had some scattered showers here just about all season. It was about perfect. The corn's done great, the pumpkins have done great. I've seen a lot of dry farms, but this farm, we've had just about the perfect amount of rain," Layman Family Farms owner Eric Layman said.
Layman said what he lacks in hay for his cattle this year, he's covering with hay from last year.
"We should be in pretty good shape. I should have a little bit extra to sell," Layman said.
That's good news for local farmers, many of whom will need hay.
If they can't get it locally, they could have it shipped in, likely from the Midwest, but that's expensive, or they could sell off some of their cattle, but the price of beef is low right now.
"I just hope that the farmers who are having a drought make it through and have a better year next year," Layman said.