Snowfall delays spring planting

Posted on Wednesday, April 16, 2008

With last weeks blizzard and heavy snowfall, planting time for area farmers has been pushed back for a while. While many had made plans to hit the fields this week, Mother Nature had other plans, dumping up to six inches of heavy, wet snow in the area.

According to Moody County Extension education Paul Johnson, the heavy snowfall from Thursday and Friday means that farmers wont be able to get into the fields until next week.

Johnson says that there had been no significant planting taking place prior to the blizzard. While planting has been pushed back, he's not concerned about a late start right now.

Johnson says though it did cause a delay in planting, last weeks snowfall may be a blessing in disguise, providing much-needed moisture for fields.

While most of this area has not begun planting, other areas of the State got a head start before the storm. The Agricultural Statistics Service reports farmers in central South Dakota were able to start getting some small grains in the ground last week.