Minnesota corn crop farthest behind schedule - TwinCities.com

Minnesota corn crop farthest behind schedule - TwinCities.com:

"The Agriculture Department reported today that just 32 percent of the state's cornfields were planted as of Sunday, compared with an 82-percent average by this date. After weeks of rain and cold, Minnesota now has the nation's biggest planting delays, although plenty of other Corn Belt states are slow, too...
...Minnesota growers did achieve what the USDA termed "large advances" in planting progress last week, with planted corn acres rising from 8 percent to 32 percent. But even at that, less than half of the state's fields were ready for planting--just 45 percent, compared with an average 91 percent--and almost no corn plants had yet emerged from the chilly ground, the USDA reported...."

I can believe it -- we still have standing water in our fields. You can pick up a clod of dirt and ring out the water ... unless your tractor is a hovercraft there is just no way you can work that field.

It takes more than just planting the corn too.

I know a lot of people always ask us first if the corn is planted...when you start getting into 'nope, just disked it the once' they glass over. Most folk don't realize that no matter how much you have worked the fields or no matter how many years you reuse a field -- come spring you have got to break up those clots, and it usually takes a couple of times if not more to undo the 'damage' that is done with the weight of the snow, the soaking of the rain.
Then you need to level it all out and check it for any large rocks that worked their way up to the surface -- hitting a rock as big as a foot throws the hole planter off, giving empty spots in the field.
Then we found that we need to put down the fertilizer a couple of days ahead of the corn so it doesn't 'burn' it.

"...ideal corn-planting date in Minnesota is April 25, or 17 days ago. On average, corn planted after May 1 loses a bit of potential yield each day, researchers say.
Nationally, 51 percent of the corn crop has been planted, compared with an average of 77 percent, the USDA said..."

April 25th??? Where?? maybe the very southern tip ... we can never get into the field before May 1st, so having it planted by then is a no-go! Do you know what happens if you plant corn too soon? Your seed rots and won't grow.

We plant a couple of our acres in corn (yes we are very small) and still spend a good $500 on seed and fertilizer. I couldn't imagine having to go thru it with 1500 acres!

I would not be surprised if we see more farms closing ... the family farm is an endangered species these days ... and its really too bad.
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UPDATE:
Our crop went in May 17th ... the latest it has EVER gone in. I will begin to post photos of the 'crop' every week. We will have to see what grows.