Drought Impact Continues: Farmer Shifts Focus From Parched Soil to Poultry
By: Homa Bash
Updated: August 15, 2012
While the Big Country has seen a little rain recently, it's not near enough to get farmers and ranchers in Texas back to where they need to be after last year's devastating drought, and this year's dry conditions.
So for now, one organic farmer in Abilene has shifted his focus -- from the parched soil to poultry.
Like nearly every farmer and rancher in Texas, Paul Thomas's land has been ravaged by the drought.
"We have cracks in our soil that you can stick a finger in," Thomas demonstrated.
Grapevine Farms, just off Interstate 20, touts itself as the largest organic farm between Ft. Worth and El Paso.
But for the past few years, it's been a losing battle.
"We had a total failure of crops last year, and we're not the only ones," Thomas said.
So Thomas has done what he can, with what he has.
He has turned his attention to poultry raising. Thomas said while it's not a huge moneymaker, it is a way to regroup and recoup his losses while his land recovers.
"Unless you have 1,000 chickens, you're not going to be making any money," he explained.
Thomas said most farmers he knows had to sell off most of their chickens to stay afloat.
He actually had to butcher his, because he could not afford the feed.
An EPA pesticide inspector turned organic farmer, Thomas has been working to make the farm a reality for more than two decades.
But like we've all learned with this drought and even more severe ones in years past -- with mother nature, it's always a gamble.
"It's heartbreaking, but of course, farming's that way. Some years you do well and some years, you just fail," Thomas said.
Despite the drought and the struggles this farm has gone through, and will go through if the weather conditions do not improve, Thomas said he's not giving up -- and he's in it for the long haul.
So for now, one organic farmer in Abilene has shifted his focus -- from the parched soil to poultry.
Like nearly every farmer and rancher in Texas, Paul Thomas's land has been ravaged by the drought.
"We have cracks in our soil that you can stick a finger in," Thomas demonstrated.
Grapevine Farms, just off Interstate 20, touts itself as the largest organic farm between Ft. Worth and El Paso.
But for the past few years, it's been a losing battle.
"We had a total failure of crops last year, and we're not the only ones," Thomas said.
So Thomas has done what he can, with what he has.
He has turned his attention to poultry raising. Thomas said while it's not a huge moneymaker, it is a way to regroup and recoup his losses while his land recovers.
"Unless you have 1,000 chickens, you're not going to be making any money," he explained.
Thomas said most farmers he knows had to sell off most of their chickens to stay afloat.
He actually had to butcher his, because he could not afford the feed.
An EPA pesticide inspector turned organic farmer, Thomas has been working to make the farm a reality for more than two decades.
But like we've all learned with this drought and even more severe ones in years past -- with mother nature, it's always a gamble.
"It's heartbreaking, but of course, farming's that way. Some years you do well and some years, you just fail," Thomas said.
Despite the drought and the struggles this farm has gone through, and will go through if the weather conditions do not improve, Thomas said he's not giving up -- and he's in it for the long haul.
