17 hours ago
MOUNT PLEASANT, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Extreme drought has settled in around the Charlotte area.
Nearly 90 percent of Cabarrus County is experiencing extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. More than half of Union County is.
Todd Jackson, the manager of Crown Town Farm in Mount Pleasant, says it is precarious this time of year, when seedlings are establishing themselves.
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“We really need consistent watering,” he said.
Jackson says his fruit and vegetable farm’s smaller size allows it “to absorb [drought] better than maybe some larger, more conventional farms, but it puts a particular stress that our systems are up and running.”
Crown Town staff have ensured their irrigation system is reliable and are also prepared to change the way they’re planting in order to create additional space.
“We can adjust that a little bit, but some of it really is crossing fingers and doing the best with what you have,” Jackson said.
The unknowns of extreme weather cannot only cut into farmers’ already-thin margins, but consumers could eventually see the impact at the grocery store.
“Your cucumbers, your squash, your melons, your tomatoes…if they’re not getting enough water, what you tend to have is smaller fruit, drier fruit and then you just have less fruit,” Jackson said.
With no meaningful rain in the forecast, Queen City News meteorologists say they expect the drought will likely get worse.
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