A persistent, dog-eared cliche describes the weather conditions of Southeastern North Carolina –or more accurately the state’s entire coastal region. The verbiage is precisely or some variation on the theme of “if you don’t like the weather, wait another hour and it will definitely change.”

For farmers and the overall agricultural community, the mid-to late-spring climate brought drought extremes that pushed harshly on the usual seasonal unpredictable ups and downs.

On the heels of what on July 18 was officially declared a Natural Disaster by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the N.C. Drought Management Council (DMAC) announced on July 23 that the state was free from extreme drought.

Klaus Albertin, chair of the DMAC, issued the statement that confirmed what the public and certainly farmers had observed, saying, “Widespread, heavy rainfall has resulted in a one-category improvement across most of the state. While the deficits from June and early July have not been completely erased, conditions have improved significantly.”

In fact, on July 26, New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, Bladen and Columbus counties were on flood watch due to a deluge on the 25th that carried over to the next day.

For family-owned farms such as Trask Family Farms – barely 15 minutes from downtown Wilmington – there are always challenges to confront or work around even as drought conditions have measurably eased.

Too much water is one of the conditions that can and does cause issues for farmers, said Graham Trask, since 2022 the head farmer there who is carrying on the family tradition.

“It really was an exceptionally dry period in June and part of July,” he said, “and it affected the corn harvest in a major way. When the skies opened up this month, with rain every day, it was a positive outcome for soybeans. But recently it’s been so wet I can’t even get into the fields to apply needed nitrogen or do anything.

“It becomes a whole ’nother smoke of a problem – from being way too dry, and with the snap of a finger it’s a complete other type of challenge,” Trask continued. “In addition to insects, the other impact is an increase in fungal diseases that compromise the health of our crops.”

It’s a conundrum that reflects another well-understood saying, said Mark Seitz, cooperative extension director for N.C. State University in Pender County.

“A dry year scares; a wet year ruins,” he said. “From a business profit and productivity standpoint, when a farm loses money on corn (due to a drought) and then on soybeans, it makes it hard to recover. It’s kind of a train effect: Once a train gets rolling it’s hard to stop it.” 

Seitz does not minimize the severity of this year’s drought, emphasizing that its timing was especially unusual and harmful, pointing out that this year the dry weather “started in early May in contrast with the common start in early July. It was easily the worst drought year we’ve experienced in a decade.”

He and other extension agents at N.C. State have 20-25 research stations around the state, representing distinct climates from mountain to coastal regions to more arid, flat expanses in between. Their research comprises tests at a variety of representative locations, where, for instance, corn, soybean and wheat varieties will be “field-tested,” and knowledge shared.

Trask values the research provided by N.C. State and other research-based entities, while acknowledging that his usual seven days a week, 12-14 hours a day schedule has been invaluable in establishing a base of knowledge and execution.

He firmly adds that diversification, not only crop diversity but complementary events and agri-tourism attractions, is a necessity.

“When I got started, I just wanted to be a vegetable farmer, and I quickly learned that it is a hard way to make a living,” he said. “So, I decided, with the input of my family, to speed up the recognition factor, the name and brand and I guess you could say fun factor of our farm.

“We really stepped up our involvement in the community to raise awareness of what we’re doing, like our sunflower mazes, a 10-acre corn maze, a 4-acre zinnia field, u-pick opportunities and autumn hayrides. And my mom has taken ownership of our social media like Facebook and our website. She’s done amazing, creative work, which has really helped make our farm a destination, a place that people want to be a part of.”

Jeff Rooks is a third-generation partner in nearby Rooks Farm Service Inc. whose family-owned business provides services to farmers and ag businesses, in addition to marketing fertilizer, seeds and chemicals. He also purchases grain back from farmers. This year was a tough year for him as a farmer and businessman.

“We spend all of our money upfront, and you know our margins are razor thin, especially this year with the impact of the drought,” he said. “Our business has also had to deal with commodity prices: input costs, seed costs, fuel costs and other costs.”