Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Obion County and parts of the counties that surround it are reeling after major flooding that happened last Friday. Many farmers in the area have lost thousands of acres of crops due to the flooding.
Thomas Capps: Crops under water. Hello and welcome to Tennessee Home and Farm Radio. I’m Thomas Capps.
John Wylie: If you’d asked me this time last week I thought we had about as good a crop as you could ask, now to lose his crop at this time year just, it’s just pretty sickening.
Thomas Capps: Tennesseans in the northwest part of the state are still trying to recover from massive flooding that happened after nearly 12 inches of rain fell in 24 hours last Friday. Obion County and parts of the surrounding counties there are the most impacted. Homes in Union City are ruined from the high water and farmers like John Wiley are experiencing crops that are waterlogged.
John Wylie: I mean, I think the beans will be a total loss the form is gonna offend a little bit on what stage maturity it’s in. But it’s major flooding I mean it’s bad as, well it’s definitely as bad as we’ve ever had in August.
Thomas Capps: Wylie farms near the river bottoms. So having crops flooded isn’t anything new. What is new is this happening this late in the year.
John Wylie: we’ll usually experience this in the spring when we have time to replant. This year is going to be just a total loss because in August, there’s nothing we can do.
Blake Cheatam: We’ve been raised around these bottoms and we’re kind of used to it. It don’t bother me like it used to for sure, but you still hate to lose a crop.
Thomas Capps: It’s the same story for Blake Cheatham, who also farms in Obion County. His beans are probably lost, but there’s still hope for his corn.
Blake Cheatam: That water can rise up to around three foot to two and a half to three foot before it’s gonna get up on the ear. As long as the water don’t get over the ear and stay on it long enough to rot the stock of corn possibly be okay. I hate the fact that the people in Union City lost their homes that’s a lot more important than our crop. We can raise another crop next year but a lot of folks here in town lost their businesses and homes over this flood which is a lot more important to them than what my crop he has to make.
Thomas Capps: These two farmers hope and pray for a quick recovery for all involved and for better growing conditions next year.
John Wylie: You just have to love it, and keep telling yourself next year is gonna be better.
Thomas Capps: For Tennessee Home and Farm Radio, I’m Thomas Capps.
