Farming . . . finally

With a cool and wet spring thus far, farmers took advantage of almost one weeks worth of warmth and sunshine last week, to get in the fields, and play catch up.
A report from Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey last week said that statewide 28 percent of corn had been planted, with farmers in the northern third of the state, only having 20 percent of their corn acreage planted. Soybean planting was two days behind average, with two percent planted statewide.
The same report this week showed that 52 percent of the corn crop has been planted, remaining over a week behind last year, and slightly behind the five-year average. Northeast Iowa has the smallest percentage of corn planted at 35 percent, while central Iowa has the most planted at 65 percent. Nine percent of the soybean acreage has been planted, six days behind last year, and two days behind average.