It's raining in GriggsDakota and all field work has come to a halt.
Although we are not dry, the soaking rain will freshen everything and help it to finally green up in GriggsDakota.
The rain will also make the decision on whether the Winter Wheat will stand as a viable crop clearer.
Our agronomist looked the fields over last week and couldn't advise Farmer Fred with final certainty. The fields are behind normal growth. Last year the Winter Wheat greened up early. Normally, we can tell how the crop has fared through the Winter by the first week of April.
It is the age old question. "Do we quit or keep going?" Is this crop, planted during our dry Fall and left bare with lack of snow cover until March, going to produce?
Quitting, in this instance, would mean that there isn't a sufficient stand of healthy plants to raise a crop.
It would mean starting over by planting another crop. Farmer Fred would probably plant soybeans. They can be planted into June.
This is a year when we are so far behind that we may not finish all of our planting in a timely manner.
If there is a good stand in most areas of the field, we could possibly plant Spring Wheat in the bare spots. Some fields appear to be in better shape than others.
"Rain makes grain," the old farmers say. If rain can't make this crop grow, it is done.
Nothing has grown much this Spring, not pastures, or lawns, or ditches, or rhubarb. We are hoping for a midweek perk up in every living thing.
What should we do in the Winter Wheat fields? The agronomist will be back and we will make the decision by the end of the week in GriggsDakota.
