Million Dollar Rain For Burly Tobacco Crop

Source from:  Jun 6, 2007 Tony Cavalier tony.cavalier@wsaz.com 06/07/2007

TOBACCO CROP 2007: A RAGS TO RICHES STORY Guess where I spent this TC Top 10 afternoon? If you said the golf course, you are a day early and a dollar short. On Thursday, Jimmy T, Keith and I have our second major of the season planned for the Esquire. No, I took advantage of the low humidity and sun splashed skies to travel to Carter County Kentucky to do a story on the early season tobacco crop. At high noon, I met 4th generation farmer Steve Glass and Jonathan Carter of the Carter County Extension Agency. We then drove a few miles to the Greenup-Carter line where we toured one of Steve's prize tobacco fields along the Little Sandy River. Just a week ago, the tobacco looked stressed and in trouble. But after a couple of good drinks of water, the early season crop is looking burly! "I was getting ready to irrigate this week when the rains finally came", Steve told me. "Another week without water and the crop would have been stunted. Now, I look forward to a healthy crop come August harvest time". As I have learned through the years, tobacco is a hardy tropical plant. Once its roots are established it can survive long heat waves with minimal water. But in its early stages of development, water is critical in order to establish a healthy root system. Only now, after this week's rains can that root system take hold. In Carter County, rains have totaled up to 1 scrumptous inch. Jonathan, a future extension agent and student at Morehead State, pointed out an especially stressed plant that had turned yellow in the field while waiting for rain. Now that yellow will turn lush green as the growing season kicks into high gear. "We are lucky. Other parts of Kentucky to our west missed out on these rains. There full fledged drought conditions have taken a stranglehold on the cash crop. And here in Carter County, we grow 400 acres of tobacco that brings more than a million dollars for the local economy". Good thing the rains came here in the Little Sandy Valley because much of the next 7 days look dry. Heat will build on Thursday and Friday when temperatures will reach their highest levels since last August (90-95). A strong cold front will blast thru Friday evening with a line of thunder squalls. Trouble is more wind than rain is expected to accompany the front as it may only rain for a half hour. Then a dry but more refreshing North wind will arrive for the weekend. Daytime highs in the pleasant 80s and lows a comfy 55-60 are likely by Sunday-Monday. In time, it appears hot and dry weather will invade next week and perhaps last into the Father's Day weekend. If that forecast holds true, local tobacco farmers may look back at these rains as million dollar showers come harvest time in late summer. "But we still need another good shower for late planted tobacco to take hold and a good downpour around topping time in August", Jonathan added. Steve nodded his head in agreement as he knows how unusual this growing season has started. "My great grandfather used to say a wet May then dry June makes a healthy tobacco crop. Well, this year, June rains must make up for what we missed in May". You can see my report on the Glass farm on Friday's 5:30 edition with Tim and Penny. Enditem