OUTAGAMIE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The recent rain and snowmelt from last month’s blizzard are causing a concern for some area farmers.
Water-logged farm fields got even soggier from Wednesday’s rain.
Farmers are hoping for drier days.
“I don’t want to see this. We don’t need this. If it doesn’t rain for the next month, we’ll be ok. We got so much moisture now with that snowfall and stuff,” said Dan Sprangers, of Sprangers Family Dairy.
Sprangers tells FOX 11 it seems spring may never arrive. The Sprangers Family Dairy is still recovering from rain and snow.
“That put a damper on everything. We had part of our barn collapsed at one end. So we’re dealing with that. Right before that snowstorm, we were pretty close to getting on the fields, but that really set us back.”
Sprangers says water is everywhere.
On Wednesday morning a stream flowed through the front yard. The fields on the 600-acre farm are soaked.
“Everyone’s in the same boat. I don’t see anybody working land around here,” said Sprangers.
It’s a similar scene throughout Outagamie County.
“We should be in the fields by now, and when you come out of a tough winter like we had, this doesn’t help,” said Kevin Jarek, UW-Extension Crops, Soils, and Horticulture Agent.
Jarek says for best yields, farmers prefer to plant corn by May 15th.
“A week after that, we’re losing a half a bushel per day. Once we get unto that May 20th range, we’re losing a full bushel. By the time we get to late May, first part of June, two bushels a day. So, it adds up quickly.”
Jarek says it will take about 10 days of windy warm weather before fieldwork can begin.
Sprangers hopes the rain quits, so he can get started.
“It’s going to be a lot of nights with no sleep. Like I said, when the sun shines, we got to go and make good time of it. And hopefully get in there sooner than later.”
With only 15 percent of Wisconsin’s corn crop planted statewide, and even less locally, the crop is approaching a week later than average.
