ABILENE, Texas ( KTAB/KRBC ) – While you’d be forgiven for seeing dark clouds as bad omen, here in West Texas those clouds (occasionally) mean rain. Texas A&M AgriLife Taylor County Extension Agent Steve Estes said those rains came as answered prayers to so many Big Country growers this season. Even if they didn’t come quite as soon as some may have hoped.
“Rain’s always a good thing here. We certainly don’t want to complain about it because once we do complain it’ll turn up dry again.” Estes told KTAB/KRBC.
The showers fell a bit too late to save some summer cotton crops. But the steady, even distribution put wheat growers in a good position for a strong start to their September planting..
“Most of this rain was a slow-soaking rain, which was very good for our soil, whether it be for the farmers or ranchers both. Farmers who plant wheat to graze cattle through the winter time on the wheat. They start planting usually right around Labor Day, and that was exactly the time that this rain fell.” Said Estes.