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Temperature.--During the winter, t~ratures
<br />rise above freezing on most days. Night tempera-
<br />tures fall below freezing usually from late in Octo-
<br />to early in April. The average date of the
<br />~t 32° F. freezing temperature in spring is April
<br />the fin t in fall is October 4. The average
<br />number of freeze-free days is 160. Temperatures of
<br />zero or below occur every winter, but only on a
<br />relatively few days, or an average of 9 days for the
<br />year. Summer maximum temperatures frequently reach
<br />100° or more from late in June through August, but
<br />in about one summer in ten, the highest temperature
<br />reached is less than 100°.
<br />Precipitation.--Over a period of 30 years, the
<br />annual precipitation haz varied a great deal from
<br />year to year. The 30-year •average at Rocky Ford for
<br />the period ending with 1940 was 11.31 inches; for
<br />the period ending with 1920, it was 12.72 inches.
<br />Yearly totals range from more than 22 inches to less
<br />than 6 inches. About 1 year in 10 has a total of 18
<br />inches or more, and about 1 year in 12 has less
<br />than 7 inches. About 1 year in 25 has 20 inches or
<br />more.
<br />Monthly precipitation shows wide variation from
<br />year to year. May, the wettest month of the year
<br />has had on the average less than 0.7 inch in 1 year
<br />out of 5, and more than 3 inches in 1 year out of
<br />6. About 40 percent of the annual precipitation
<br />falls in the period April through June, and about
<br />75 percent in the period April through September.
<br />Most of this precipitation comes from thunderstorms,
<br />which vary a great deal in amounts of rainfall or
<br />hail. Some hail storms are severe and damaging,
<br />but these are fewer than in other high plain areas
<br />olorado. Tornadoes, which occur in the area
<br />Imes, are generally smaller, less damaging, and
<br />less frequent than in areas farther east. The low
<br />amount of precipitation limits agricultural activ-
<br />ity to stock raising, except in extensively irri-
<br />gated areas where intensive farming is favored by
<br />the relatively long growing season and warm summer
<br />temperatures.
<br />Farming and Industry
<br />The Homestead Act of the 1870's brought an influx
<br />of settlers to Otero County. La Junta, the county
<br />seat, Was first settled by cattle and sheep ranchers
<br />During the same period, George Washington Swink,
<br />founder of the town of Rocky Ford, became inter-
<br />ested in farming and irrigation. He grew, improved,
<br />and marketed cantaloups and watermelons, for which
<br />the area is now well known. In the 1880 's, the
<br />Federal Government granted land to the State of
<br />Colorado. The State, in turn, sold tracts to
<br />irrigation companies, in consideration that they
<br />build canals for irrigation projects. This offer
<br />attracted promoters and developers who built the
<br />irrigation canals that are in use at the present
<br />Y ime.
<br />i,
<br />Although many kinds~i rri gated crops are
<br />grown in Otero County, the trend in the last few
<br />years has been toward producing more feed crops.
<br />The acreages, of alfalfa, corn, and sorghum have
<br />increased nearly every year. This increase is the
<br />result of increasing costs of production, shortage
<br />of irrigation water, and the increased demand for
<br />feed crops. The acreage of vegetable crops remains
<br />fairly constant. Acreages of the main crops were
<br />reported in the 1964 United States Census of Agri-
<br />culture as follows:
<br />Acres
<br />Alfalfa--------------------- 19,880
<br />Corn--------------------' ]2,554
<br />Grain sorghum--------------- 5,150
<br />Sugar beets----------------- 3,288
<br />Barley---------------------- 1.137
<br />Winter wheat---------------- 2,989
<br />Oats------------------------ 1,220
<br />Onions---------------------- 1,507
<br />Pinta beans----------------- 1,291
<br />Cantaloups------------------ 1,282
<br />Potatoes-------------------- 565
<br />Tomatoes-------------------- 925
<br />There are eight irrigation canals and 400 to 500
<br />pumps serving the irrigated farming areas of Otero
<br />County. Many of the pumps are used to supplement
<br />ditchwater. Even with irrigation water, most crops
<br />grown lack adequate water for maximum production.
<br />All of the canals normally experience shortages
<br />early and late in the growing season.
<br />Dryland farming is no longer attempted in Otero
<br />County because of the hazards of dryfa rming in the
<br />prevailing climate.
<br />In recent years, the trend in the number of
<br />cattle has been upward. This trend results mostly
<br />from an increase in livestock feeding. Most ranches
<br />are cow-calf enterprises. The most popular breed is
<br />the Hereford, although the Aberdeen Angus breed
<br />is rising in popularity. 'Ihe 1964 U.S. Census of
<br />Agriculture reported 59,997 cattle and calves and
<br />12,154 hogs and pigs on farms in the county.
<br />Most of the industry in the county, with the ex-
<br />ception of the railroad and a brass fitting factory,
<br />is ]inked directly with farming. There are two
<br />small meat packing plants, a turkey processing plant,
<br />a wool processing plant, two canneries, and a food
<br />freezing plant. Al] the sugar beets grown in the
<br />county are processed at the sugar refining factory
<br />in Rocky Ford. Several seed houses contract, har-
<br />vest, clean, and distribute melon, zinnia, and
<br />vegetable seeds. Local machine and equipment shops
<br />have been instrumental in developing and producing
<br />new machinery used in farming and processing agri-
<br />cultural products. Several alfalfa dehydrating
<br />mills are in operation, and alfalfa pellets produced
<br />are shipped nationwide.
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