Drought-stricken Kansas farmers happy with snow, but still want more

GREAT BEND, Kan. - After being blanketed with more than a foot of snow, many in the Midwest are sick of the winter weather.

However, some farmers in Kansas say the snow is alleviating some of the effects of the ongoing drought.

More than 14 inches of snow fell this week in Great Bend, Kan. Roger Brining, a farmer in Barton County, would have liked more.

"It would have been great to have another foot,” Brining said. “We need all the moisture we can get. This kind of moisture is just wonderful for the wheat."

Brining and his farmhands did fight the snow to feed their cattle in the storm and broke their pond's ice to prevent the livestock from wandering out on it and drowning.

But they say it was worth it, because they are many inches behind on moisture since 2010.

"Moisture for the farmers, we need it to catch up,” farmhand Victor Link said. “I mean that's the only way our boss is going to make the bills is the grain. I mean that's our livelihood.”

And they said their livelihood and moisture effects everyone.

"Well we feed America, so if we don't get moisture and can't grow a crop people are going to start getting hungry".

The only thing Brining and his crew are hungry for right now is more snow. They estimate this last storm brought an inch and a half of moisture to the crops at the most, but they're hopeful.

"I'm hoping will at least buy us some time and give us a shot at a wheat crop,” Brining said.