Video: Farmers Endure Rain And More Rain

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CALHOUN COUNTY, Miss.(WCBI)–People in North Mississippi are experiencing another round of constant rainy weather. Mississippi farmers need rain to make crops grow, but right now a few days of sunshine would be a welcomed change.

In Calhoun County a sweet potato field near Vardaman is saturated with water. Some sweet potato crops have been planted, but mostly there are fields where the wet stuff is very visible.

“So roughly six percent of the sweet potato have been planted. Under ideal conditions we’d be closer to 20% by the end of May,” said Stephen Meyers/Extension Specialist.

“Right now we are looking at flooded fields. We are looking at the possibility of recently planted fields the seeds rotting in the soil. We are being held up on potato. Sweet potato planting right now, because they can not get in the fields. And its time to plant sweet potatoes,” said Scott Cagle/Chickasaw County Extension Agent.

A typical window of planting time is between the third week of May and July 4th being the cut off time for crop thats been so sweet to North Mississippi and the Vardaman area.

“Usually gives the best root set on sweet potato plants. But that’s not to say that stuff planted in July can’t still provide good yields,” said Stephen Meyers.

And so farmers wait, for a ray of hope in the form of sunshine. Until then they pray and continue looking to the sky.

“Really we need the sun to pop out and dry the fields out,” said Scott Cagle.

“There is still plenty of time to get a good crop in the ground,” said Stephen Meyers.

Categories: Local News

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