A summertime break for farmers

MPR Photo/Tom Weber

Summertime, and the living is ... easier, at least for Minnesota corn and soybean farmers.

Things are a little bit behind schedule for many this year because of the wet spring, but for most, July still should begin a two-month stretch where the crop work is relatively light. Spring planting is long complete, and most of the herbicide spraying and fertilizer applications are done.

Now there's not a lot to do except watch the crops grow.

But that watching is with a purpose. Farmers will be checking fields for any sign of insect or disease problems. They'll also be watching to see if their crops can make up for the wet, cool spring.

The latest crop data says the average height of Minnesota corn is 25 inches. That's a nine-inch improvement over last week, but still a foot and a half behind the average height for this time of year.

One thing farmers fill their extra time with this time of year is the traditional county fair. Six county fairs get started this week across Minnesota: Cass, Hubbard, South St. Louis, Winona, Kittson and Redwood counties.

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