CHANHASSEN, Minn. — It's hard to miss Degler Farms — one of the last in Chanhassen that's now focusing less on the crops that are getting harder to grow.
"We went to an agri-tourism, trying to rely more on what we can control," said owner Gayle Degler.
At the farm, people can expect pumpkins and hayrides and even a spin atop a converted combine that brings customers around Degler's now harvested soybean and corn fields.
The unique experience is part of Degler's future plans as climate change continues to affect agriculture.
"I mean, back in the 1930s it took almost a decade to get out of that drought where now you can do it in six, eight or 10 months," said Degler.
The shifting weather is happening more quickly, according to Dr. Suzi Clark, who studies and teaches climate adaptation and resilience at the University of Minnesota.
"We can no longer assume that we know what's going to happen in the next season based off of what happened in this season and so we have to be prepared to adapt quickly," said Clark.
She says the patterns are also warmer and wetter. In fact, the top 10 years on record have now all happened since 1997.
"But there's a big caveat to that wetter because it's not happening uniformly across the year, and in fact, we've also seen larger swings from really wet to really dry," said Clark.
Take this year, for example, when less than half the normal amount of snow fell in winter. There was also extraordinarily warmer temperatures that added to an already persistent drought. Then, summer rains relieved that, but the record-setting amount led to flooding. Now, we've experienced the driest September, driving the state back into a drought.
The dirt in Degler's field is so dry he can hardly till it, which is something he prefers to do in the fall. The snow and varying temperatures help break it up and get ready for spring planting.
"I've heard of people breaking equipment," said Degler. "Right now, there's cracks in the ground that I haven't seen in quite a while."
Degler's yields are average at best this year, but he's hopeful his new venture will be more stable than some of our changing seasons.
While Clark says, the future depends on us.
"It's just something you have to try and prepare for, you're going to have to live with it one way or another," said Degler.
"It's our choice in this day and age to decide, not only how we change our behavior, but how we respond now," said Clark.
She says some of those things should be implemented at a state level to right in your own backyard and include installing irrigation, watering trees and capturing and storing large rain amounts. That can range from rain barrels at your house to creating rain gardens that slow runoff and improve water quality.