Mid-South farmers have surprised even themselves with a record harvest this year, despite months of drought and triple-digit temperatures.
While some growers without access to irrigation suffered significantly from the heat wave, others were able to adapt and succeed by planting early, strategy, and a little luck.
In addition to filling Mid-South farmers markets, the bountiful harvest from local farmers will go on to be loaded into barges going down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, which will then export the fruits of their labor around the world.
Grading this year’s crop output, Patrick Ellis from the Tennessee Association of Farmers Markets said, “Considering all the other challenges, I’ll give it an A. Our farmers have been and have always been incredibly resilient.”
