LARIMORE (AP) - Red River Valley crops survived despite drought this year, surprising even veteran growers.

Grand Forks County Extension Agent Willie Huot said it was an average to slightly above average year for growers in the Red River Valley. But he said that's a bonus because growers feared this summer's heat and drought would bring disaster.

"We ended up with twice the crop that we thought we'd have in July," said Bill Farrell, of Larimore.

Farrell ranked this year among the top-five most profitable in his 34 years of farming.

The yields were good, the quality was excellent and the prices "are the best we've seen since the early 1990s," he said.

Last week, a seed dealer served a free dinner for farmers in the Larimore Legion.

"There were lots of smiles instead of frowns," said Paul Hofer, who has a farm near Farrell.

Hofer and Farrell said their land can tolerate drought better than heavy rains, which they've had several times since 1993.

Farrell ranked last year the worst of his career, with more than a third of the land unable to be planted because of saturated ground.

The moisture surplus proved to be a plus when rainfall was short across the region this year, Hofer and Farrell said.

Roger Thompson, manager of the AGP Grain elevator in Larimore, said farmers made money on wheat, corn and sunflowers, and broke even on other crops.

"East of here where they grow sugar beets, soybeans and wheat, they hit on all three," Thompson said.

Bob Sobolik, president of the Bremer Bank in Larimore, said it was a decent year for farmers but it's still a struggle for some.

"Virtually everyone is covering their operating expenses," he said. "But about 40 percent aren't meeting their term payments, so we'll have to do some restructuring."