Cabarrus County farmers get creative to conserve water during drought

CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. — Some small farms in Cabarrus County are adapting to the ongoing drought by finding creative ways to conserve water.

Fruit and vegetable farmer Brent Barbee said water efficiency is crucial right now, especially as his strawberries begin to mature.

To reduce waste, he covers his irrigation system with plastic tarps so water stays on the crops and doesn’t evaporate.

Barbee said strawberries have handled the dry weather well so far, but crops like sweet corn could become more difficult if conditions don’t improve.

He added that growing a variety of crops helps protect the farm from extreme weather; if one crop struggles, others can help offset the loss.

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