“We went back in the
Brad
“We’re up to probably .6-
wheat and we sprayed for
“Between the Rows” is a feature in
Dave
inch so far. The rain started
Haas
some henbit and chickweed
Dotterer
last night and it is coming
and a tiny bit of wild garlic on
Ohio’s Country Journal that let’s you
down steady now. Thursday,
Wood Co.
one farm on Saturday and a
little bit yesterday. Usually,
know about crop farming around the
Wayne Co.
Friday and Saturday were
even with a split application of
state. We will collect responses from four
absolutely beautiful up here.
There were a couple guys out.
nitrogen on wheat, we’re fin-
farmers around Ohio each issue to keep I know one guy got some oats
ished up about now or even a
little sooner, but this year is a
you updated. Field conditions, weather
in, and there were a couple of
people out working ground,
little different.
conditions and whatever else might be
but there is not much new
“If a farm is level and sur-
going on in the state will be a part of this
around here.”
face drained, it is looking OK,
but it is still too wet to do any-
feature from now until harvest.
While there is plenty of
moisture, it is not causing any
thing. And, there are some
serious problems yet. “The
farms where there are pud-
rain is not really ponding up,
dles, but it is variable. On
but it is going to slow things
Friday and Saturday, you could see the wheat and the
up. It has been so cold, and I heard that the temperature
weeds growing at the same time. That warm weather is
of Lake Erie is still in the 40s. I think they’re calling for
what we need.”
rain for the rest of today and tomorrow. If things shape
The warm weather was nice, but short-lived as the
up, we’ll be all right. But if things drag on another week,
rain started yesterday. “This morning I left while it was
guys will be getting pretty itchy.”
still dark and we had .3-inch or .4-inch and I don’t know
The cool weather has also slowed pasture growth.
what we have now. I drove east into heavier rain.
“The grass in the pastures is starting to grow a little, but
They’re saying that, maybe by Thursday, things will
they are way behind in the area. Things have just not
start looking good again.
been growing much. The hay is starting to come along,
“I’m not excited yet. Especially for popcorn, I don’t
but we’re not going to be making hay in the middle of
mind planting in late April or the first couple of weeks
May or anything.”
of May. We still can see good popcorn yields when we
Everyone is looking for warmer, drier days ahead.
plant into May. We’re pretty much ready to go. The corn
“Winter just doesn’t want to seem to quit. There has been
planter is ready and I’m probably going to look the drill
a lot of manure hauled on these nice days, though there
over one more time. We do a little bit of cultivating on
is not much excitement going on. My brother out in
some of our sandier ground and we have some of that
southeast Iowa has been able to get some work done,
to do. But, in general, things are sitting there ready to
and my brothers in central Illinois are wet like we are.”
roll. On some of our best, sandier ground, if it starts
shaping up on Thursday, we may be ready to go six or
seven days after that. With our heavier ground, we’ll
have to wait another four or five days on top of that.”
“We didn’t get all that
“We had a couple nice days
Mark
much rain yesterday, but it
Nate and there was a good bit of
Kemp
was coming down pretty well
Ewing
spraying going on around here.
this morning. I had about an
We actually didn’t get any
Union Co.
inch last week and it was still
Pike Co.
done. Just about the time we
pretty wet in the fields to do
were getting ready to go, it
anything. I’m just kind of in
started raining again. You
limbo now.
could get across some of the
“I didn’t see anybody out
ground with a sprayer, but
working even on Saturday. It
there definitely weren’t any
has been so cold, I’m glad we
planters rolling in our area.”
don’t have anything in the
Planting is usually under-
ground. It looks like we have
way in the area by now, but the
some pretty good weather
wet soil is preventing much
coming and I don’t think that
activity. “I think that with this
anyone is getting too worried
next warm up, we will see a lot
yet. I just hope with this next
of people getting started. We
patch of good weather we can get something done.”
normally get started around
With the current, and predicted, rainfall and cool weath-
the 15th, but it is still early. The ground temperature is
er for the next couple of days, a good stretch of drier,
still cool. We had some warm days, but the nights have
warmer weather will be needed to get planting started.
been cool. There is a little ponding, but we generally see
“It will be next weekend at the earliest that we can get
that water get away fairly quickly in the gravel.”
something done. They aren’t even talking about any sun-
shine until Thursday, so I don’t know that things will dry
Progress
Pastures are doing fairly well in the area. “The pas-
tures have really greened up in the past two weeks, and
out much. The grass has gotten greener, but that is about it.
we have some that are growing pretty well. We’re not
The rain has come fairly slow. The creeks are full but I have
not seen much ponding. There are a few weeds starting to
report as of
feeding any hay because of overgrazing and that is
always a good thing.
pop up in the fields, but they have been slow too.”
“Wheat is really coming around and looking good.
Hopefully, in the coming days, the sun will re-emerge
The cooler evenings have kept the weeds under control,
and 2009 planting can begin. “I’d like to be out there by
now, but I’m not too nervous yet. Now it looks like it will
April 20
but things are greening up. I’d say everybody is ready to
go as soon as things warm up. I know a few people who
be around the first of May, and everything will be set and at
are still turning a few wrenches, but most everybody is
the edge of the field when things are finally ready.”
ready to go. We’re just waiting on the weather so we can
get after it.”
20Crops • Ohio’s Country Journal • May 2009
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