TABOR CITY, N.C. (WECT) – Farmers in the Tabor City area have claimed that this is the worst year in nearly 50 years due to a severe drought. Some farmers say they’re unsure how their sweet potatoes will come out this year.
Hunter McPherson’s farm is one of three that provide sweet potatoes for the North Carolina Yam Festival, but there’s a real fear about having enough ready for this year’s festival.
“It’s been the worst drought we’ve ever had because it’s so widespread. It didn’t rain for two months, maybe 2 or 3 tenths of rain here. This area out here was the worst of any of it,” McPherson said.
This summer’s dry spell is now putting farmers far behind. They’re usually picking potatoes by the second week of October, but they won’t be plucked this year until November.
But McPherson’s hope is not lost. Instead of “peeling” the burn of the drought, he’s just happy having any harvest.
“We’re going to try to start harvesting some Saturday, the day of the festival. Just to see what we can get started because I know a lot of people are calling. We’re going to harvest some and see how it goes and depending on what they look like, once we plow them out, then we’ll know from there,” McPherson said.
This drought is now making potatoes a hot commodity throughout our area.
“There’s going to be a short crop this year. Everybody I’ve talked to, I know a lot of people are going down to South Carolina and buying them from them because they’re a little bit, they got more rain than we did. But, I think we’re going to have a decent crop, but I believe it’s going to be not full capacity, and I believe they’re going to be smaller than normal,” McPherson said.
McPherson says that they just need water, and hopefully just a little more time.
“They’re calling for a warmer a warmer winter. Maybe we can leave, I figured we come out here and dig half of them, leave the other half and let them stay till Thanksgiving if we can… but, yeah, most of the time we’re getting close to being done harvesting and we haven’t started this year, so,” McPherson said.
The big question on McPherson’s mind right now is will his potatoes be ready in time for the festival.
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