Fine weather for many crops, as long as farmers irrigate

Skagit County is officially in a drought emergency – but so far, some area farmers are having a pretty good year.

Swanson Family Farm's berry crop was bountiful. "We went from a 10 percent crop and lots of freeze damage last year to a 110% crop this year," said Dean Swanson. He is already picking corn and thinks his cucumber and bean crops will be good.

Potatoes "look good," said John Thulen of Pioneer Potatoes, "not lackluster, but not a crasher either, although some plants look stressed."

Planting conditions were "pretty close to ideal," said Jason Vander Kooy of Harmony Dairy, with some spr...