Farmers dealing with scorching temps on crops, livestock

BULLOCH COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - Scorching temperatures over the last week or so - and more on the way this week - has some farmers concerned for their crops and livestock.

One farmer says his fields have gotten enough rain to offset this heat wave. But if the rains stop, we could be in a drought before we realize it.

South Georgia fields can feel like an oven for crops planted just a couple of month ago. David Cromley says they’ve been fortunate so far but he’s watching his plants closely.

“With plants, there’s something called evapotranspiration. That’s where they lose moisture due to the heat,” Cromley said.

His family has irrigation on less than a fifth of their fields. That means using it wisely.

“Some farmers adopt a strategy where they try to water through the night into the morning hours then cutting it off.”

Across the farm, cattle find the shade and stay there through the day. He says he’s hoping pasture grass stays green for them to eat, rather than giving them the hay that’s grown now but stocked away for fall or winter.

“If you start getting into those stocks during the summer, you kind of run into a brick wall down the road.”

He says they some more well-timed rains to keep this crop growing.

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