By Sarah McNaughton
Photography By Rebekah Aanerud
Due to a delayed spring planting, producers are worried how the late plant date will affect their yields this year. Wet, muddy, and cold conditions are causing delays, and soil temperatures remain too low to support plant growth. Spring-time planting usually begins around mid-April for planting, however with the wet conditions of standing water in the fields, colder than average soil temperatures are contributing factors to delayed planting this spring. Projected planting dates are past May 1st according to the current conditions. The average temperature this year has been only slightly colder than the seasonal average, being 27.5 degrees Fahrenheit as opposed to 28.2 degrees Fahrenheit.
Local farmer and rancher Chase Elliot located just west of Hillsboro, North Dakota, has been experiencing difficulties on his operation, as flood waters have separated his pastures and fields. Elliot’s cattle pens were severely flooded, forcing him to move calves to other operations earlier than normal. Additionally, these excess flood waters also caused Elliot difficulty in feeding his cattle, with the mud making it near impossible to move the feed wagon through. This water has ruined nearly 100 bales of his alfalfa hay, which caused an economic loss in his year.
“Monday I was able to drive a tractor across the crick, and now that same crick is 100 feet wide, easily 6 feet deep.” Elliot said, during a recent visit to his farm to see the flood damages. His main cow pen has a pond in the middle, making it hard for the cattle to stay dry as well as keeping the hay dry. This has other health implications, making the cattle more susceptible to hoof rot, respiratory issues, and overall stress.
Corn producers have been especially nervous, and the corn market prices are currently up 2’0, nearly at a high for the year at 378’4. However, the average time corn is planted is May 15th, so the Red River Valley is currently on track for the average corn plant time, barring any more snowfall or freezing conditions. Differing issues are appearing as a result of this, from cattle diseases, hay rotting, and equipment damages from weather conditions.
Traill County Extension Agent Alyssa Scheve said in a recent interview “This fast melt that happened is leaving a lot of water standing in the fields. We were first worried about temperatures and now were dealing with standing water.” Scheve says that this will most likely keep farmers out of the field until mid-May. The Red River Valley and FM Area soil conditions are not helpful to this situation, as clay soil and the geographical layout of the fields surrounding Fargo hold excess water in the fields.
The Red River Valley area has a historical issue with flooding, originally being the glacial lake bottom of lake Agassiz. As being such, it is of course extremely flat and does not have many hills or low spots to collect these flood waters. This leaves nearly all of the water to run into the farming fields and ranches. Farmers use modern technology such as drain tiles and diversions to try to ensure their fields can be used, however sometimes all fails and they are still left with excessive ponding and flooding in their fields.
Farmers are hoping that conditions will be windy and dry to help the ponding in their fields dry down to a point that they can get into the fields to begin planting.
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