Fescue, Florence and a Fresh Start

“We knew we were in trouble. There was nothing to feed the cows.” That was how cattleman Buron Lanier, Burgaw, N.C., described his feelings after the floodwaters of Hurricane Florence, which were 5-feet deep over a significant chunk of his acreage, receded from his farm last September. “After three days of pounding by Florence, we had 130 acres of totally submerged pastureland,” Lanier said. “When the storm hit, much of our fescue was being prepared for winter stockpiling. We also had our cows calving about that same time,” he added.Once the water receded after two days, Lanier was disheartened to learn that his fields were dead. Such was also true of most vegetation in the area, including fields of Kentucky 31. Thirty three inches of rain fell inSeptember alone.