THOMASVILLE, GA (WALB) - Many farmers, landscapers, and other business owners have been struggling to make ends meet. The combination of a poor economy, extreme heat, and lack of rain has damaged many livelihoods.
Though there are many reasons to frown, mother nature has recently given us reason to smile. "It has made a few more people want to plant because the ground was soft, but really we haven't had enough rain to make a big big difference," said NeSmith Nursery Manager Karen Crosby.
Crosby manages NeSmith Nursery in Thomasville. She says she truly appreciates the days when it rains. "It has been great because we have watered, watered, watered. You know it's not that bad a job, but still when you do it so much you kind of get burned out with it."
Crosby says she'll gladly take any form of rain, but soft rain does the most good. "When its been so hot and dry and the ground's so hard and it comes a real hard downpour. A lot of it just kind of runs off."
Crosby says people need to remember that even though it rained, it's gone quickly. "If we can get showers maybe every week that would be nice."
A bad start can sometimes benefit the nursery in the end. "It's bad to be dry, but than a lot of times people do lose plants and than of course when it starts raining or it starts cooling off than people get in the mood again to work in the yard than business picks up," said Crosby.
The manager at the Tractor Supply in Thomasville says their business has nearly tripled since the rains began. He says if it stays consistent, they will more than make up what they originally lost.
Crosby says even though the rain has picked up, daily watering is still necessary to keep our plants healthy.
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