Sunday, November 26, 2017

Cotton-Pickin' Time


It's nearing the end of November and most of South Carolina's 250,000 acres of cotton have been picked.  On a drive through cotton country, these long modules of picked cotton lie, waiting for the heavy equipment to load them and take them to the gin.  The longest modules in the field weigh 20,000 lbs, the shortest 5000 lbs.





































Pre-Civil War times                               

and 20 years ago, before modules were
compacted in the field
One of the oldest producers of US cotton, South Carolina, after two years of crops decimated by rain, expects to break the state record.  Alas, poor Texas and Georgia farmers' fields, hit by hurricanes Harvey and Irma, look like this:
Texas Farm Bureau Photo 

9 comments:

  1. My Mom picked cotton back in the 30's and she always said it was the hardest work she ever did.

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  2. The bottom photo is incredible. Looks like surf foam all over the place.
    What a eerie mess!!!!!
    I presume nothing could be saved.

    Presently here the cotton farmers are in HOT WATER with their water quotas from the
    Darling River basin. Stealing water up-stream is not appreciated by the orchardists
    way down the river around Mildurra. Hopefully this time the state and federal governments
    can put a stop to this water hijacking business.
    Cheers
    Colin
    PS: I bet young Mason would love to have a roll around in that surfie/snowy white mess.
    Not so sure that Anna and Don would be too impressed - ha ha

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  3. Lucky for South Carolina. The harvest looks super good. Sad about the other states.

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  4. Cotton is a mystery to this northern boy!

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  5. The cotton harvest looks pretty good in south Carolina..

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  6. Devastation by cyclones, a years crop ruined.
    Interesting to see

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  7. Interesting to see the huge bales! I saw five sprigs of cotton (bolls ? is that what they are called) in a gift shop for $7.00 It was interesting to see...but I had no place for it:)

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  8. This is all new to me as in the UK cotton production means the big old Victorian mills of Lancashire. I know of course that it grows in fields but had no idea what that would look like. Something to think about when I grab a T-shirt in the morning!

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  9. A heavy load of cotton comes from the fields. So sad to see the damage Irma has caused in Texas.

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