DANVILLE — This spring’s overabundance of rain has dampened local farmers’ fieldwork plans, but most experts say it’s still too early to worry about significant yield loss.
The spring has seen higher-than-average rainfall. According to a statement issued by state climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey, April’s rainfall average was 6.2 inches, 2.4 inches above normal. The amount is tied with 1983 for the sixth wettest April since records began in 1895. Combined rainfall for February and March resulted in 12.9 inches of precipitation, nearly 4 inches above normal.
Although local producers are slightly behind where they would like to be at this point, farmers are eager to get busy this week.
Sunny days in the 60s to low 70s forecasted for the next few days will make for ideal planting weather.
Randy Hathaway, a Veedersburg, Ind.-area farmer, said he’d like to have his corn in the ground by May 10, but by the end of last week, he’d only finished about 600 acres, or 25 percent of his corn planting.
When the planting schedule doesn’t quite match up with standard rules of thumb for planting, Hathaway says you’ve got to “take the calendar and throw it way.”
Although May 10 is one of the key dates producers like to shoot for to be done with corn planting, it gets to be a moving target, depending on how the season progresses, he said.
Farmers who still had pre-planting work to do may be even further behind.
“I think there’s a lot of field prep work for people who till — probably fertilizing that didn’t get done last fall because of high prices,” he said.
“Everything is going to happen at once now. When it becomes dry enough, we’ll be burning the candle at both ends.”
Hathaway isn’t as worried about planting soybeans at this point, but in an ideal year, he’s like to see them planted by May 20.
If this season is an indication of the rest of the year, yields may be relatively unaffected by late planting.
“If it doesn’t frost until the end of October, it may be one of those years where things are a little later.”
But if it frosts early, it could have a devastating effect on harvest, he added.
Mike Toohill, an agronomist with Midwest Seed Genetics, said corn planting is about 40 to 50 percent behind in this area.
By this time, area farmers should have about 66 percent of the corn crop planted, but the number last week lingered at about 5 percent.
“Historically, yields will start to drop mid-May,” he said.
Vermilion County Farm Bureau spokesman Tom Fricke agrees that this week’s stretch of sunny warm days will be important.
For now, farmers aren’t too concerned about losing yield — so far there won’t be a lot of catastrophic loss, but if another month goes by and there isn’t significant progress, it could be damaging, he said.
Local News
Rain keeps farmers from fields
- Local News
-
-
Spirit of the West
Museum workers run out of adjectives when describing the “Spirit of the West” quilt exhibit, which opens Friday. “It’s mind boggling,” Sue Richer, director of the Vermilion County Museum, said as she admired the quilts. “It amazes me. They’re works of art, the way they’re put together.”
-
County looks at power deal
Vermilion County Board committee members will discuss a contract letting Integrys extend electric savings to residents now.
-
Six to retire from Danville High
Six longtime District 118 employees said goodbye to Danville High School at the end of the school year.
-
Teacher’s aide retires after 33 years
Jan Kovacic meets the students at Covington Elementary School when they arrive in the morning, and she is the last one they see in the afternoon when getting on a bus or in a car.
-
Fountain OKs nurse position
Fountain County Council members approved restructuring changes Tuesday in the Fountain-Warren Health Department.
-
United Way close to goal
The United Way of Danville Area is in the home stretch of its annual campaign and wants residents’ help in reaching that goal.
- City rummage sale nears
- Home tour helps museum
- Police, Fire Reports
-
Teacher weaves life skills in with lessons
KaSandra Mitchell’s fifth-graders probably think all the cooking and sewing they do in class is a lot of fun.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Sister Says She Reported Brother in Patz Killing
Patz Suspect's Sister: I Went to Police in 1980s
Diplomatic Expulsions Follow Fresh Syria Report
15 Dead in Northern Italy's 5.8-magnitude Quake
Angry Birds Spreading Their Wings
Witness Describes Fla. Face-chewing Attack
Man Falls Off Crane, Dies After Police Standoff
Russia Condemns Ally Syria Over Massacre of 108
Dairy Farm Uses Chiropractor to Help Cows
Unexpected Smog in Pristine National Parks
Air Canada Plane Makes Emergency Landing
New Ticks Spread Across Southeast, Diseases Rise
Bring Your Own Tech Programs Charge Up Students
Pope's Butler Vows to Help Vatican Investigation
Mother of Allegedly Abused Girl Denies Claims
Raw Video: 19 Dead in Qatar Shopping Mall Fire
Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD
Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony
Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice
Couple doesn’t let tropical storm ruin their big day
Tori Bares Baby Bump in Monokini
Even Fla. Police Shocked by Face-Mauling Attack
Letterman on Family Life Post-Scandal
Evans: Serena in shock
Pregnant Reese Wears LBD
Volcano covers Colombian cities in ash
Meet the Crew and Good Ship 'Prometheus'
Los Angeles Bar Bans Bachelorettes
Hamster Plays Dead
Beyonce Shows Off 60 Pound Weight Loss at Concert
Drunk Women Breaking Into Houses: A New Trend?
LeAnn Rimes Rocks Short Shorts
Raw Video: Cop Shoots Man Eating Another's Face
Gordon Ramsay Carried Off Field
Man Dies Getting Lap Dance
Kim Kardashian Claims Items Stolen from Her Luggage
Bear cools off in Calif. family's pool
Ep. 3: Chopped Desserts
Air Force dad surprises family at baseball game
