Farmers hopeful Nicole doesn’t damage what remains of cotton crops

BULLOCH COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - Georgia cotton farmers say this might be their best crop in years, but the part that’s still in the field could certainly be damaged as Nicole passes through.

The bands of wind and rain started midday Thursday, stirring cotton plants still in the fields. Colby Deal says they’ve picked three-fourths of their crop. But roughly 150 acres remains, and this storm has him concerned.

“It takes a pretty big toll on it. It could lay a whole stalk over or you see a whole bunch of cotton laying on the ground,” Deal said.

He says this storm comes late in the fall, and late in the cotton season, too.

“We’ve got it sprayed so it’s exposed and open, nothing really to protect it from this weather,” he said.

Deal said the fiber can withstand a little rain, but takes sunshine to dry it again before they can harvest. Wind can separate it from the boll. A combination of the two can be costly.

You can lose up to 100 pounds an acre, according to the wind and the rain,” Deal said.

He said they’ll be disappointed to have such a good crop all season, only to lose the last part of it at the very end. Farmers just want Nicole to come and go as quickly as possible.

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