Local cotton farmers are starting to pull up their crop as the growing season came to an end this month.

Because of the recent rains that swept through the Atmore area and the surrounding counties, farmers will wait until the cotton is dry before harvesting.

“It’s time for that,” Longtime Cotton Farmer Rodney Phillips said.

Phillips owns 1,500 acres in the McCullough and Huxford areas, and he’s been planting cotton for 40 years.

He said he planted his crop at the end of April through May in anticipation of the four-month growing time.

“A farmer’s got to have it perfect all of the time,” Phillips said. “We need moisture to get it planted, and need a little moisture to harvest. It’s been extremely dry for the last month.

“Is this rain hurting the cotton? It is to a certain extent, but overall, it’s good,” he said.

Phillips said he thinks he can get almost 3,000 pounds of cotton picked from his farm.

After the cotton is picked, it is taken to West Florida Gin and Frank Currie Gin for processing.

Phillips said the New York Stock Exchange sets the prices, the broker sets the base and then the farmer gets what they decide to give them.