Planting prep delayed by winter weather

HEARTWELL, Neb.

Its another week and another winter weather system making its way through Nebraska causing headaches across the state, and causing special frustration for producers who are trying to get into the fields to start their planting season.

A normal sight around this time of year is a farmer out in his tractor disking and fertilizing his fields, but inclement weather and excessive moisture have made that an almost impossible task so far this year.

“Normally we would be starting about next week. Around April 20th is about the time we think about getting planting started. Right about this time we are thinking about hopefully being able to finish up putting on fertilizer and getting the pre-emergence down. We have had a little bit of that going on but not a whole lot,” said Todd Whitney, Cropping System’s expert for the Phelps County Extension Office.

Speaking to local producers like Joel Kuehn of Heartwell, they aren’t worried just yet about making planting season, but there is some concern that wet and cold weather will prevent them from properly prepping their fields for planting.

“As far as planting I don’t think there is a lot of concern just yet, what I think a little more of the nervousness is about is the lack of field preparation. Fertilizing and things like that that need to be done prior to planting that we are behind on and that always raises a little bit of concern,” said Kuehn.

While the winter weather isn’t what he hoped for, Joel Kuehn says it just comes with the territory when farming, and that producers must stay adaptable to continue a successful operation through the wet and cold spring.

“I think the number one key to farming is being adaptable. We adapt to situations that aren’t ideal. We work our way through the challenging times and that’s the key to it, and remaining optimistic,” said Kuehn.

While the delays are frustrating for farmers experts are saying its not time to worry just yet.

They say it will take another two to three weeks of wet and cold weather before it really starts to put the planting season in jeopardy.