By Blake Jackson
Heavy rains caused flash floods in western Kentucky this week, resulting in crop loss for some farmers. Keith Lowry, a corn, wheat, and soybean farmer in Pilot Oak, Kentucky, received over 11 inches of rain in just 24 hours. The flash floods caused water to come up to 6 feet high on some of Lowry's corn, and some of his soybeans were submerged in water for 12 hours. Lowry is concerned about the debris that the overflowing creek may have washed into his fields, and he is also worried about getting debris caught up in his combine during harvest.
Despite the crop loss, Lowry is grateful for having crop insurance to recover costs. He urges all farmers, especially young farmers just starting out, to invest in crop insurance.
Jonathan Reynolds, a corn, soybean, canola, and cereal rye farmer in Clinton, Kentucky, also received over 8 inches of rain in a 36-hour period. He says his own crops are faring well despite the excessive moisture. However, he anticipates a loss of about 40 acres of his crops that were at lower elevations.
Reynolds says that his biggest concern is not getting enough sunlight following the storms. Another concern is the possibility of having 100-degree temperatures and zero rain for the next two weeks. He says that as long as the temperatures don't get too hot, the moisture they've received will carry them through the rest of the season.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-kotenko-a
Categories: Kentucky, Weather