65 F/ 18 C

Cotton is a crop 
of great importance here in
our Arizona

~carliewired

I emptied my pot of coffee long before I left the house at 8 AM. I have to sit and wait for the sun to come over the Gila Mountains so I can see where I'm going and what I can photograph. 

This morning was a chilly 9 C / 49 F when I went out the door. I needed another layer but really didn't think about that when I faced the sunshine. 

I drove over to Hwy 95 to have a look around the Yuco Gin. All is quiet there right now. Yuma county grows about 13, 000 acres of cotton each year. Planting starts in February and harvesting starts in September. That's when the gin starts to work. By the time I arrive in early November there isn't much action around the gin. 

Yuma is known for high quality cotton. About 80% of the local cotton remains in the US. The rest goes to China or Vietnam. 

This year's scorching summer did not serve the crops very well. Low production means farmers losing money. Research is being done to determine varieties of cotton that will best handle the heat stress. 

As a quilter, I use only cotton fabrics, cotton thread and cotton batting. I have a vested interest in cotton production. 

I came home at 9 feeling chilled, so I made another pot of coffee before I retired to my recliner. I'm in for the day and will be working on my cottons this afternoon.