Rain

helps

crops

Corn tasseling

not far behind

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- While thunderstorms dumped up to 10 inches of rain in parts of Minnesota Wednesday, causing flooding in isolated areas, the moisture helped most area fields.

First, the bad news. Wind damaged corn fields in Brown County, University of Minnesota Extension Educator Wayne Schoper said.

"Some sweet corn and field corn got flattened," Schoper said. "Some of it will come back. Some won't."

The good news was crop development is nearly caught up to normal with the recent heat and moisture.

"We're just a little bit behind normal, but a little ahead of last year," Schoper said. "We're on cruise control. Beans and corn are really stretching out. Beans are really blooming. Corn ears are filling out. Corn should tassel in the next 10 days or so. Back around Memorial Day, we never thought it would be this good."

The next big moisture push will come around tasseling time when another inch or so of rain will be needed.

Tuesday night and Wednesday daytime rainfall was officially .93 inches in New Ulm and .25 in Sleepy Eye.

Nicollet County crops look as good as any in the state, according to Extension Educator Gary Hachfeld.

"We lost about 5 percent of the corn and soybeans to early drown out, but the latest inch or so of rain really helped," Hachfeld said. "Early peas did well. Some mid-season peas ripened too quickly. Some producers got caught in the rain. There were a few insect problems, but most of the crop seemed to come through."

Nicollet Township farmer Dave Bode won the Lafayette Nicollet Ledger Fourth of July Corn Contest for the third time in five years, the newspaper reported.

Bode's corn was 110 inches (more than 9 feet high) despite a slow start. Duane Flygare of Bernadotte Township was second at 106 inches, Bruce Wilking of Nicollet Township was third at 105 inches. Rich Lange of Oshawa Township and Perry Hulke of Courtland Township tied for third at 104 inches.

Sibley County Extension Educator Tim Dolan said the corn looks "really good" but some bean varieties suffered from root rot due to excess moisture.

"By and large, the county looks better than many other areas," Dolan said. "Most growers are satisfied. We had some standing water Thursday in some areas in the north end of the county."

Redwood County Extension Educator Wayne Hansen said the latest 1/2 to 3/4 inch of rain was "about perfect." He reported some uneven corn from drown out spots.