PENSACOLA, Fla. — Abnormally dry conditions are in Northwest Florida. <\/p>\n
While many enjoy the dryer fall temps, farmers say it’s impacting their crops. A local farmer said the dry weather isn\u2019t necessarily a bad thing for his crops.<\/p>\n
But it’s not a good thing either, saying dry weather can make the soil hard to work with and can ultimately become costly.<\/p>\n
At Holland Farms, the pumpkin patch is open and families are visiting the corn maze. But behind the fun, the green peanut harvest is in full swing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe start in July and run through about November,” said BJ Holland of Holland Farms. “This is the peak.\u201d<\/p>\n
Across Northwest Florida, a drought is impacting Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties. Those areas considered to be \u201cabnormally dry,\u201d despite small showers hitting coastal areas last week.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt didn\u2019t really make too much of a dent, especially inland where the farmland is,\u201d WEAR News meteorologist Brooke Richardson said. \u201c…We\u2019re definitely below average for rainfall this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Green peanuts are the cash crop at Holland Farms. It’s used for boiled peanuts and peanut butter. BJ Holland, one of the owners at Holland Farms, says dry weather can be a catch 22 for harvesting.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe dry weather\u2019s good for harvests,” Holland said. “The peanuts can be dried.\u201d<\/p>\n
But he says if the ground is too dry, digging up the peanuts becomes more difficult.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou need some moisture to get the plows in the ground,” Holland said. “But once they\u2019re flipped, you don\u2019t want any rain on them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dry soil is also tough on equipment and repairs can add up quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re changing plows every 10 acres, instead of 50 or 60, that adds up quick,\u201d said Holland. <\/p>\n
\u201cI would say some of the repairs you could be looking at \u2014 it could be $100 to $200 an acre changing out some of the stuff that\u2019s worn out from the dry weather.\u201d<\/p>\n
Holland Farms has been open since the 1800s and has seen its fair share of droughts.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have put in irrigation systems here, so we do have the ability to irrigate some of our farm, which has helped save a lot of crops,\u201d Holland said. <\/p>\n
The sunshine is helping bring in visitors to Holland Farms, but a rainy day wouldn’t hurt.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe definitely could use some of the rain,” Richardson said. “Any rain we see is going to be beneficial.\u201d<\/p>\n