By Miles Layton

Random thoughts…

I travel more than a bit through Northeast NC, searching for stories to tell, covering governmental meetings and talking to people to find out what’s happening in their neck of the woods.

A few weeks back, early one morning, my wife and I saw these pigs crossing Snug Harbor Road near Bethel in Perquimans County. Pigs shouldn’t have been crossing the road to play in the crops, but they didn’t want to hear my advice on the matter. I suspect the pigs listened more to their farmer because I haven’t seen them out and about in recent weeks.

Got to say, seeing the pigs reminded me how rural our area is; blessed we are to live in the country.

Thursday morning, I received this news tip from a good source out of Gates County: A few days ago, a local farmer took delivery of 50 calves near Sunbury, each weighing 500-600 pounds.  As they were unloading the truck, one of the cows broke through the fence and 40 of the 50 followed.  This location is near the intersection of 158 and Acorn Hill Road, and several cows have reached the state park at Merchants Millpond.  Two cows are dead due to collisions with vehicles.

The source was told that the cows are lost, confused and don’t know their way back home; go figure!  An emergency response rodeo team from Shelby, NC arrived Wednesday evening and stayed in Elizabeth City.

The source said Sheriff Ray Campbell is excited and his deputies are assisting with traffic control.  This group brings horses, trailers and real cowboys for the roundup.  And they are flying 3 drones overhead.

The owner of the cows has already made arrangements with a new buyer and they will be transported immediately after capture to a new home.  Lesson learned, and another adventure in Gates County.

Gates County is a great place – no doubt – thanks for the tip.

Many days, I pass cattle in Perquimans County, perhaps drive around a huge tractor on NC 32 south of Edenton in Chowan County, and see huge fields filled with cotton and all sorts of crops.

We live in an agricultural area – some of the best farming land in the world.

We have a distinct culture here that is worth preserving because it’s real, not homogenized/McDonaldized. You can get a good country ham for Layden’s in Belvidere – Belvidere Day is Oct. 31 – listen to a great choir during a Sunday worship service at Rocky Hock Baptist Church, catch a movie at Taylor Theater or have a cup at Edenton Coffee House. You can talk to Edd Owens, who has lived in the Cotton Mill District in the same house where he was born 80 years ago, who gets teary-eyed when talking about the people, places and times he’s known or meet a newcomer who has embraced the culture without wanting to change it.

One day I’m talking to Wanda Liverman, my favorite custodian at John A. Holmes High, about Tyrrell County, while the next day, Plymouth Mayor Crystal Davis is sharing an inspiring message of hope about her town. Speaking of mayors, I saw Edenton Mayor Hackney High walking around the block the other day. Good mayor.

Mayor Pro Temp Connie Brothers is doing good things in Hertford. Some mornings I see Hertford Town Council member Sara Winslow walking her beagle on Front Street.

We are blessed to live in our small towns and country fields in Northeast NC.

Last note will be the crop report, which we will start posting more regularly.

North Carolina harvest progresses as dry conditions persist

RALEIGH — North Carolina farmers continued harvesting fall crops during the week ending Oct. 18, with corn harvest nearing completion and peanut harvesting moving ahead of its five-year average, according to the latest report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The weekly Crop Progress and Condition Report, released Monday by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, showed that 91% of the state’s corn crop had been harvested, up from 87% the previous week. That remained slightly behind both last year’s 93% and the five-year average of 93%.

Peanut harvesting reached 45%, compared with 41% a week earlier, 39% at the same time last year and a five-year average of 42%.

Soybean harvesting advanced to 20%, up from 18% the previous week but behind last year’s 22% and the five-year average of 25%. About 80% of soybean plants had dropped their leaves, compared with the five-year average of 86%.

Cotton harvesting reached 16%, up from 13% a week earlier and ahead of last year’s 12%, although still below the five-year average of 18%. Cotton bolls were 92% open, matching the five-year average.

Sweetpotato harvesting reached 59%, up from 55% the previous week and matching the five-year average. Sorghum harvesting advanced to 60%, while flue-cured tobacco harvesting reached 93%.

Soil moisture remains a concern

Farmers had an average of 5.2 days suitable for fieldwork during the week, down from 5.6 days the previous week.

Despite rainfall across portions of eastern North Carolina, soil moisture remained limited in many areas. Statewide, 29% of topsoil moisture was rated short or very short, while 51% was adequate and 20% was surplus.

Subsoil moisture conditions were somewhat drier, with 37% rated short or very short, 44% adequate and 19% surplus.

The report showed 75% of the cotton crop in good or excellent condition, along with 71% of peanuts and 62% of soybeans. Pasture conditions were less favorable, with 44% rated good or excellent and 42% rated fair.

Rainfall recorded across northeastern North Carolina

Weather stations across the region reported rainfall during the week, although year-to-date precipitation remained below normal.

Elizabeth City recorded 0.78 inches of rainfall, 0.19 inches above normal for the week. However, its year-to-date total of 35.74 inches remained 4.16 inches below normal.

In Washington, 0.94 inches fell during the week, while the year-to-date precipitation deficit reached 11.24 inches.

Williamston recorded 0.99 inches, bringing its annual total to 35.09 inches, or 5.74 inches below normal.

Along the Outer Banks, Frisco recorded 0.91 inches of rainfall, although that was 0.28 inches below normal for the week. The station’s year-to-date precipitation remained 9.42 inches below normal.

Temperatures also remained unusually warm for mid-October. Elizabeth City recorded an average temperature of 69 degrees, seven degrees above normal. Washington averaged 70 degrees, eight degrees above normal, while Williamston averaged 68 degrees, seven degrees above normal.

The weekly report reflects statewide agricultural conditions, with weather observations from selected monitoring stations. Conditions can vary considerably among individual farms and counties.

The next USDA crop progress report is expected to provide another update on the fall harvest as farmers continue gathering soybeans, peanuts, cotton and other crops.

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, North Carolina Crop Progress and Condition Report, Oct. 19, 2026.