Farmers can't control weather, but they're looking forward to growing season

Apr 25, 2009      The Star

Emily Killian

Apr. 25, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- There's one thing Cleveland County farmers agree on: You can't control the weather.

And after a couple years of crop damage and drought, many are looking forward to what could be a much better growing year.

Jeff Crotts at Knob Creek Orchards and Creamery said his Sweet Charlie strawberries are ripening and he should have some ice cream with them at the opening day of the Shelby farmer's market on the court square.

They're an early variety, and it might be a little while longer before he has berries available for picking in the fields.

Everything is about on schedule, though, he said.

"We have a good crop of strawberries. The berries are beautiful," he said. "Their appearance is good and clean.

"As of right now, it's a wonderful crop of strawberries," he said.

But that doesn't mean the strawberries --or any other crop --are out of the woods yet, he said.

"You can have a hailstorm and it can be terrible," he said. "But you don't even want to think about it."

He also has 40 acres of peaches, which may have a little frost damage, in addition to some possible problems that are after-effects from last summer's dryness.

For now, he's planning to have apples, peaches and blackberries this year.

"It's really too early to tell, but I think we're going to have some peaches," he said. "Drought last year affected this year's buds.

"And we're going full bloom on apples," said Crotts.

As for whether or not the good growing weather will hold out, Crotts said he's not going to make a prediction because it's something in God's control.

"You can't do anything about the weather," he said. "If I have a crop, I have a crop.

"There are just some things there isn't any use worrying about and the weather is one of them," Crotts said.

Edley Lattimore, who owns Clineland Strawberries, said his strawberries are ready beginning today.

"I hope they're as good as they were last year," he said. "Size and taste should be the same.

So far, strawberry growth has been slow, thanks to rain and clouds in April, he said.

"That's not a strawberry grower's favorite type of climate. I'd like to have sunshine myself," he said. "It's kind of slow."

Fitzhugh McMurry grows crops on his farmland in upper Cleveland County.

So far, he's planted beans and sweet corn, he said. "As of right now, that's all I've got done.

"Spring has been cold and wet," he said. "It's not warm enough yet for things to really grow."

He does have several acres of soybeans, along with small grain and molasses cane, which he'll plant in a few weeks.

He grew hundreds of tomato seedlings in his greenhouse again this year and they've been selling at his retail area in Fallston.

"People are buying them pretty good now since it's gotten warm," McMurry said.

On the upside for area farmers, rain has been more plentiful in the last few months.

"We've had plenty of moisture so far. More than we've had in years," he said. "They say we're still a little below average on ground water, but streams are running well."

That's encouraging, he said.

"Last year was pretty fair, but the year before that was disastrous," he said. "We didn't make anything. It was a total failure."

He's looking forward to the main growing season, he said.

"I don't look forward to it as much as when I was younger," he joked, referring to his age. "I feel a whole lot better when I get out in the field working. I love the heat and the sunshine."

Newstex ID: KRTB-0253-34405678

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