Rain sets planting plans back
Rain sets planting plans back
By Jerry W. Kram
After an extremely dry fall in 2012 that saw thousands of acres of grasslands go up in smoke, rain in the middle of the month of May was a welcome sight. However, like a guest who doesn’t know when to leave, precipitation is starting to wear out its welcome.
The farmers’ situation was made worse by a winter that just couldn’t seem to end, said Mountrail County Extension Agent Jim Hennessy. Cold weather gripped the northern reaches of the county until just a few weeks ago, and when the frost was finally out of the ground, the rains came. Hennessy said planting was 80 to 90 percent complete in the southern part of the county. North of Stanley, just a third of the crops have been planted. Between Stanley and Belden about half the crops are planted.
“If we get more rain in the next few days it’s going to be ugly,” Hennessy said.
Hennessy said crops in the lighter sandy soils around New Town were in the best shape. Around Plaza the ground has more clay and holds onto the water more tightly.
