A warmer than expected winter has provided South Texas farmers from the Lower Rio Grande Valley to the Upper Coastal Band the chance to get started early on their planting schedules. Corn was the first crop to go in the ground in early to mid-February, followed by sorghum.

Nueces County is the highest producing sorghum county in the U.S. and farmers decided to roll planters early this year in spite of a shortage of measurable rainfall. But soil specialists at Texas A&M AgriLIfe Extension report sub-surface moisture levels are adequate to get a crop started; however, rain will be needed to sustain crops in the not-too-distant days ahead.

South Texas farmers are watching early crop emergence and looking for favorable weather into the growing season. Here are some scenes from early field work and crop growth.