May 4, 2017
Weather swings frustrate farmers
By Jerry W. Kram
Mother Nature has been very moody this year.
The winter started off with four feet of snow in as many weeks, leading to worries of a repeat of the disastrous winter of 1997. But the January thaw came and stayed and by the beginning of April it looked like it would be one of the earliest spring planting seasons in recent memory. But while it has stayed near or above freezing for the whole month, fields have been slow to dry up and farmers are keeping one eye on the calendar they wait for conditions to improve.
Mountrail County Ag Agent Jim Hennessy said that much of Mountrail County, especially the area from Plaza north to Coulee, is still very wet from winter runoff. Last weekend’s rain shower only made that situation more soggy. On the other had, some areas, especially the area south of New Town, welcomed a little extra moisture.
The winter started off with four feet of snow in as many weeks, leading to worries of a repeat of the disastrous winter of 1997. But the January thaw came and stayed and by the beginning of April it looked like it would be one of the earliest spring planting seasons in recent memory. But while it has stayed near or above freezing for the whole month, fields have been slow to dry up and farmers are keeping one eye on the calendar they wait for conditions to improve.
Mountrail County Ag Agent Jim Hennessy said that much of Mountrail County, especially the area from Plaza north to Coulee, is still very wet from winter runoff. Last weekend’s rain shower only made that situation more soggy. On the other had, some areas, especially the area south of New Town, welcomed a little extra moisture.
