Area farmers three weeks ahead of schedule compared to last year
This is around the time they like to get started, but mother nature doesn’t always cooperate.
ARTHUR, N.D. (Valley News Live) - The rain is a good thing for farmers who were out in the fields planting earlier this week.
This is around the time they like to get started. However, mother natures doesn’t always cooperate.
“It’s great to get the first field worked,” Kevin Skunes says. “Get the planter going, see if it works.”
Skunes has farmed in Arthur his whole life. This time of year never gets old, when he finally gets to jump behind the wheel of a planter.
“Put the soil thermometer in the ground and it’s over 50 degrees,” he says. “I know we’re having some cold weather coming, but the corn can’t grow in the bag.”
He and other farmers in the Valley are three weeks ahead of schedule. They weren’t in the fields until mid May last year.
But Skunes says they still had a good crop. Mother nature always seems to take care of itself.
“When you’re seeding in the middle of May, it warms up a lot quicker and the seeds will come out of the ground,” Skunes says. “We do take a chance planting right now. If it cools off, we get some cold rain, then our seeds will sit in the ground a little longer.”
The lack of snow this winter isn’t a concern either. That’s thanks to the December rain and a few nice ones this spring.
“I think the rains we got stayed here. Not too much in the ditches, not too much runoff. I think we’re starting off good,” he says. “We always need rain once we’re done seeding and then every couple weeks during the growing season.”
No one can control the weather, but there is a way people can help farmers in the coming weeks.
“Take it easy around equipment,” Skunes says. “There’s a lot of equipment on the road. Be cautious of the tractors that are on the road and going slow.”
Skunes says they were planting until Thursday night. They have about 20% of their corn in.
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