Drought-Stricken Plains Farmers 'Giddy' Over Heavy Snow
Two rapid-fire snowstorms belted Kansas with more than 2 feet of snow this week. They caused thousands of accidents and all kinds of hardships — but they also produced very broad smiles from some quarters.
That's because in a place as dry as Kansas has been lately, a blizzard can be a blessing for farmers and ranchers.
Imagine that your job is taking care of some 450 cows and almost half of them have either just given birth or are about to — all out in a pasture that has seen 2 feet of snow fall in less than two weeks.
One thing you need is an old ax, like the one farmer Kirk Sours carries down to a frozen pond. He's covered in layers of heavy canvas work clothes, with a big gray mustache and cowboy hat to match.
"Keeping the ponds open so they have something to drink. This pond's in pretty decent shape," he says. "I've got 16 dry ponds on the ranch."
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