Dry conditions in our area are making it dangerous. Farmers said they are seeing the impacts of the drought due to the continued dry and dead grass and windy conditions. “We are in relatively high drought conditions in the Southside, Pittsylvania County in particular,” said Steven Barts, and farmer and extension agent in Pittsylvania County. Barts said only a few crops are affected right now.
“The fall planted small greens, so wheat and barley that was fall planted, they really did not get the adequate moisture they needed in the fall of 17 so growth has stunted, they’re not as far along as they should be,” Barts added.
Barts recommends farmers grow crops that are more drought tolerant, but says there’s not much else they can do, as they are at the mercy of mother nature, with recent snowfall not making much of a difference. “It does slowly permeate through the ground, but it’s not the same amount as a rainfall amount of equal magnitude,” he said.
Mike Aherron with the Virginia Department of Forestry said it hasn’t helped his crew either. “It wet everything down pretty well, but it doesn’t take too long for it dry up,” Aherron said. Aherron said fires are caused by someone burning debris without control lines, so he suggests you be careful when burning around your home.
He said he’s hopeful that spring rains will turn things around for farmers. “February and March are really where we see a large amount of spring moisture start to appear so everybody’s got their fingers crossed in hopes that the drought conditions will remediate itself,” Aherron said.
From WSET 13 News: https://wset.com/news/local/drought-conditions-causing-concerns-for-farmers-forestry-department