Eat, drink local to keep farms afloat

Combine a wet spring, a parched mid-summer, and an August deluge, and you have headaches for Chester County farmers, who generate the second highest agricultural revenue in the state.

From hay to corn to grapes, crops have been affected by this year's extreme weather conditions, said Duncan Allison, a spokesman for the Chester-Delaware County Farm Bureau. "Farming is not for the faint-hearted," said Allison, who also cited variable market prices and rising production costs.

So with yields down and prices up, what's a county consumer to do? Know that when you pay more for locally-grown fruits and vegetables, you're improving your health as well as that of a vital regional industry. And if you're looking for a way to digest the extra cost easier, consider a glass of Chester County wine.