With rain back in the forecast on Friday and Saturday, farmers on the Door peninsula may have to wait even longer to plant in their fields. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service’s crop progress report, only seven percent of the state’s corn and 27 percent of its oats have been planted, which is about 50 percent less than its five-year average. A saving grace for some farmers has been their cover crops, which is retaining the moisture and keeping the soil in place. One of the cover cropped fields farmed by Deer Run Dairy in Kewaunee has been planted while their tilled field across the street still might need a few days to dry out. Deer Run Dairy co-owner Duane Ducat says they will still need some help from Mother Nature.
The wet fields are only adding to the stress of farmers, which have a May 31st deadline for corn and a June 10th date for soybeans to either plant or take the money from a crop insurance claim.
