Area farmers hoping for better harvest conditions to arrive soon

Farmers around Clarion have not had much to smile about lately. The last few sunny days are lifting moods but several weeks of damp and rainy conditions have been tough as farmers twiddle their thumbs waiting for their fields to dry out even as the moisture keeps coming. Needless to say, fall harvest has fallen behind previous year averages.

            Angie Rieck-Hinz, ISU Extension Field Agronomist for Wright County said, “We’re behind from the last 3 years.” As of early this week, many farmers had not been able to get out in their fields much or at all. In some places around the county, you can see where farmers opened up fields with one pass to test conditions only to have to stop soon after. Austin Charlson, a farmer northeast of Clarion, said that has been a common sight with many of his neighbors. “Some guys tried fields but weren’t able to finish.”

Photo by Angie Rieck-Hinz, ISU Extension

For the full story, see the Oct. 18th issue of the Monitor