Tribbett's Tribulations

During the main part of the summer, the Tribbett community in Washington County, Mississippi, has been a bit like the Sahara Desert, according to Ronnie Bibb with Jimmy Sanders Seed Co., in nearby Hollandale.

"Growers at Tribbett are already in better shape in 2007 than they were last year," Bibb said, half-jokingly. "In 2006, the last day they got rain in Tribbett was on May 6. That was it until just about the time they started picking cotton. This year, it rained on May 13. I hope we get more rain there, but at least we know it rained a week later this season."

One grower received 2.6 inches of rain at Tribbett a month ago. That was more rain, said Bibb, than the farmer received during the previous 2 summers combined. In 2005 and 2006, he said, the total accumulation during the summer months was only 1.8 inches.