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Kevin Kirkham recently caught an 84 pound catfish at Lake Proctor. Kirkham caught the giant fish with rod and reel on a 12 pound line and had to go swimming to get the fish back to the shore. Kirkham said he had been catching about 30 pound fish each night. Wyndi Veigel | Citizen staff photo
Although prices remain steady, consumers should pay extra attention to early pecan harvest production, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.
Drought may affect pecan production this year, but prices should remain steady.
Larry Stein, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension horticulturist, Uvalde, said pecan production in some regions of the state is looking positive, thanks to water supplies available for irrigation, but the drought is still playing a significant role in the quality of this year’s pecan harvest.
Exceptional drought conditions continued with another week of record high temperatures, which were 10-15 degrees above normal in most areas. There were heavy rains throughout the district, which brought anywhere from a third of an inch to 3 inches, as well as cooler temperatures. Tanks that were not already dry continued to dry up. Pastures were extremely dry, and tree conditions declined. One county reported that the corn harvest was halted due to high yields, high acres and full grain bins. Producers feared hay wouldn’t make another crop this year. The cotton harvest neared completion, yielding around a third to a half bale per acre. Producers started thinking about planting oats for grazing but will have to wait for additional rainfall. Winter wheat planting was delayed until later in the fall to avoid as much of the first flush of Hessian flies as possible. Cattle prices remained good, along with sheep and goat prices.