Local farmers welcome first freeze of the season

While some people may be dreading these colder temperatures, local pecan and cotton farmers say they welcome the first freeze.

“It’s a good time to get a freeze,” said Keith Deputy, owner of Deputy Farms in West El Paso who primarily farms cotton.

Cotton harvest usually begins mid October so when it comes to the cotton business, a first freeze around this time of year is a good thing.

Once freezing temperatures arrive, the cotton bulls crack open and the fluffy white cotton is exposed, meaning it’s ready to be picked.

Pecan farmers also look forward to the cold to harvest their pecans.

“You can’t harvest the pecans until it freezes,” explained Deputy.

Freezing temperatures helps the pecan shells to crack open and fall to the ground.

Freezing temperatures around this time of the year are ok for farmers, however freezing temperatures too early in the year is not such a great thing.

“If the freeze comes too early, cotton plants are not finished, chile has not finished and gotten mature, pecans are not finished. So a freeze in mid November is ok,” said Deputy.

The average first freeze in El Paso is November 13th, and the average first freeze in Las Cruces is November 9th.