A berry big battle is underway in central North Carolina as strawberry harvest season kicks in — ripe, red strawberries vs. a stubborn stretch of dry weather. Every drop of water matters more than ever during this two-week dry spell and six-month-old drought.
"With the heat, the strawberries require more water," said Darin Jones, a strawberry farmer. That's the reality for growers like Jones and his small family-owned farming and fresh market business, DJ's Berry Patch in Apex.
"Also, during the heat of the day, it takes a lot of water to try to cool the plastic-cooled plants down and keep the berries cool," Jones said. "But if it's not so hot, it won't be so bad as far as you know, needing as much water if it cools back down."
Right now, rows of bright red strawberries stretch across DJ's patch. And that's a promising sight during this current harvest season, which runs through early June. But beneath the surface, the soil is dry, and concerns are heating up because the patch's pond — a key crop-watering source — is starting to run low.
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