Farmers in Northeast Alabama are still adding up the damages from last weeks fast moving storms. Thursday's weather brought golf ball sized hail, devastating some cotton crops. Nick McMichen is a sixth generation farmer in Cherokee County. While he's seen extensive hail in the Midwest, he says he's never seen it in his community. He tells us 250 acres of his cotton crop are a complete loss and there's significant damage to another thousand acres. "Right now we're estimating $250,000 in losses," explains McMichen. July Fourth normally marks the half way point for the cotton crop with harvest coming in October and November. "It's farming, anything can happen. We prepare for the worst," says McMichen. He says other farmers in the area are facing the same unexpected cotton losses. But they all know it's part of the business they've dedicated their lives to. "The farmer is the eternal optimist. We take an event like this and know God will provide for us. We won't let this get us down," remarks McMichen. Insurance adjusters will be out surveying the damage Monday. One option for farmers is to plant soybeans to replace the damaged cotton crop and try to recoup some of their losses. Source - https://abc3340.com