But local experts warn that disastrous dry conditions are still a threat to pastures, herds, vegetables

By Eric Betts, Staff Writer

Recent rains are giving county farmers and ranchers hope that the coming year won’t be a repeat of 2011’s disastrous growing season.

“Last year was one of those years,” said Tommy Miertschin, executive director of the Bastrop County Farm Service Agency.

Producers throughout the county were hit hard by a number of natural calamities: the extended drought, the September wildfires and, in some places, even last week’s floods. And while the county has a long way to go before its land and water resources are fully recovered from the drought’s effects, plenty of growers have gotten enough rainfall that they’re seeing something else that was in short supply last year: optimism.

“We’re very lucky to be where we’re at right now,” Miertschin said. “People are actually smiling again. Last year they were doom and gloom.”

“Everyone’s optimistic right now,” said Duke Ducharme, a rancher whose land is just north of Elgin. “A lot of the farmers are preparing their ground for a planting of corn and other row crop products.”

Miertschin said growers are seeing good progress on small grains, oats and wheat and rye grass patches. Stock tanks are filling up, cattle prices are high and most importantly, with just a little bit more rain in the next couple of months, there’s a good chance that they’ll be able to make a local cutting of hay.

“It’s a 360-degree turnaround,” Miertschin said. “Due to the rain and the last couple of weeks of warm weather, the winter pastures have done real well.”

“It makes you feel better mentally to see green out there rather than nothing,” said Rachel Bauer with the Texas Agrilife Extension.

For much of last year, the extended drought forced local ranchers to purchase hay from elsewhere in Texas or out of state. The cost of buying and hauling the hay put a strain on ranchers, and forced some to sell off part of their herds.

“That would be tremendous if we could get our first cutting,” Miertschin said. “There’s just none around.”

Miertschin says much of the county has already received enough rainfall to allow farmers to put a crop in the ground. That’s better than a lot of places are doing. Miertschin said there are counties west of I-35 and further south who are still way behind. Ducharme says that was supposed to be the county’s fate as well.

“I was concerned because all the indications from people that forecast weather were that we were going to see another drought very similar to 2011 in 2012,” he said.

That’s still a possibility, says Bauer. Despite the rain, forecasters are still predicting the long-term drought will extend into 2012. The La Niña effect that contributes to the drought in Texas is still present, and could lead to another dry period later in the year.

“We’re still not out of the woods as far as the drought goes,” Bauer said, “but people just feel so much better.”