This story ran 7/25/2012 on Dane101.com

After nearly a month of no significant rainfall, and amid deepening drought, the rain that pummeled Madison last Wednesday evening–and, in some parts of town, the morning as well–was a welcome relief.

And though it stayed hot, more rain followed: Sunday morning, then Tuesday morning and early Wednesday, breaking what had been for area farmers a disheartening period of wilting crops.

Cate Eddy, who runs Ridgeland Harvest Farm near Viroqua with her husband Matt, said in a newsletter to the farm’s CSA customers that rain has skirted a few miles on either side of them all summer. They were managing to stay ahead of the drought only with a rigorous schedule of hand-watering and drip irrigation: ”Every 3-4 hours into the night–it feels like a new baby in the house!”

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