RGV farmers race to harvest before storm hits

CAMERON COUNTY, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Valley farmers are harvesting crops around the clock, in hopes they will not lose them to the storm.

Sorghum farmers in particular have been working for days to harvest their crop, used as cattle feed in the Valley.

Sorghum is normally harvested this time of summer anyway, but farmers can not afford to leave the crop in the field any longer with the coming storm.

“This is the time of the year that we typically do see harvesting of sorghum here in the Rio Grande Valley, and it’s not going to be anything unusual to have it come off," Crop Consultant John Norman said. "What is unusual is the fact that they are having to hurry it up a little bit because of the potential for bad weather.”

Norman explains why farmers cannot let the possibility of flood ruin their harvest. He added the grain is already coming off the crop and risks damage.

“In some cases, some folks are having to push extra hard to get out what they can ahead of the rains because of that extended rain," Norman said. "In both intensity in time can lead to a lot of damage on the grain of sorghum.”

Norman lists corn as another summer crop being harvested but states they are at less risk, and that mature corn tends to turn its ears down.

“When the corn does turn its ears down, the bottom of the ear becomes like an umbrella, and it will shed that water. Now, that’s [only] up to a point,” he explained.

Norman said cotton is another summer crop at risk, and it is typically not harvested till starting in July.

He said if the boles, known as where the white fiber of the cotton comes from, is cracked then there is potential damage of any water seeping through.