HOLLANDALE – When heavy rains drenched the area Thursday, Hollandale Mayor Ted Radke threw up his hands in exasperation – enough was enough.

Tuesday, June 19, 2001

HOLLANDALE – When heavy rains drenched the area Thursday, Hollandale Mayor Ted Radke threw up his hands in exasperation – enough was enough.

Radke called all his government representatives the next day, hoping to begin some kind of process to find a long-term solution to flooding problems for Hollandale-area farmers. After four straight years of heavy rains and drowned vegetable crops, the town is feeling the impact.

&uot;I’ve seen too many years of this kind of rain and flooding. I’m ready to do whatever is necessary to find a fix for it,&uot; Radke said.

Though Hollandale residents experienced flooding in yards and basements along with sewer system failures and other problems from the rain, Radke’s biggest concern is not the town’s stressed infrastructure. He’s more worried about the growers who are dealing with fields of standing water and drowned crops.

&uot;We lost two farmers last year – two third-generation farmers quit the business because they couldn’t take another year of disappointment,&uot; Radke said.

Hollandale was the garden spot of the state for decades. The rich soil was perfect for potatoes, sweet corn, onions, carrots and cabbage. Dozens of prosperous family farms supported a thriving town, said longtime resident Don Richtsmeier. Now the number of family farms has dwindled to just a handful.

&uot;Who’s going to farm this land in another 20 years if this keeps up?&uot; Richtsmeier asked.

&uot;Who in the world will still live in Hollandale?&uot;

Other signs of the sinking farms are evident in the town. Three years ago, the local hardware store went out of business, and last month the town’s cafe closed its doors. Radke said the decline of the Hollandale has been evident for at least the last eight years, and it’s all tied to the wet weather.

&uot;There’s no such thing as an inch of rainfall anymore. It’s always the heavy downpours,&uot; Radke said. &uot;It doesn’t make it any fun being mayor when you see all the heartache and pain.&uot;

Radke doesn’t know if an outdated ditch system is to blame, or if global warming is responsible for the climate shift. It could simply be a decade-long phenomenon that will return to normal in coming years, he said.

&uot;Whatever the case, we need to start looking at taking some land out of production and turning it into a holding pond or something. We need to direct all of this water somewhere,&uot; Radke said.

Farmer Pete Van Erkel said the entire problem stems from the fact that the Hollandale area – about 100,000 acres of crop land – is the catch basin for the Turtle Creek watershed before the water eventually makes its way to the Austin area and the Cedar River. The land was originally a swamp or bog when settlers arrived in the area.

&uot;They basically drained it for their dairies and farms, and it was successful. It was just like clockwork around here for several decades,&uot; Van Erkel said.

After going through three rounds of planting last year, and salvaging a small crop of potatoes and other vegetables, Van Erkel is faced with the same scenario again this season. He hopes to have one more shot at replanting his crop and hoping for cooperative summer weather.

&uot;Obviously, I’m starting to wonder if it’s worth the effort to replant. I’m wondering when a guy should cut his losses and move on,&uot; Van Erkel said.

Potato grower Larry Reynen blames the recent rains on tropical storm Allison. He said the season looked promising before the storm disrupted weather patterns across the country.

&uot;They’re saying Allison is the most expensive storm in history. I would say our crops are a part of those losses,&uot; he said.

Reynen said his family farm has dealt with plenty of wet seasons over the years, but he agrees that the recent stretch is unprecedented.

&uot;We’ve never had four bad years in a row like this,&uot; he said.

But Van Erkel and Reynen, along with the other growers in the area, are not looking for sympathy or hand outs. Radke said that kind of attitude is typical of Hollandale farmers.

&uot;They’re a proud bunch,&uot; he said. &uot;I would say their focus, and mine too, is to figure out a way to deal with this situation – one wet year after another. We’ve got to do something.&uot;

Radke is convinced Hollandale can rebound, but he wants to see a serious conversation between local, county, state and federal government agencies. He wants to begin working on a comprehensive flood plan, a new ditch system, and a place to hold the excess water after heavy rains, he said.

&uot;I hope we’re not too late. I know this kind of action takes a long time, but we’ve got to start somewhere,&uot; Radke said. &uot;I want Hollandale and our farmers to hang in there. I think this can remain a viable farming area.&uot;