Welcome rain

helps area crops

Rainfall varies from

1-2 inches in Brown, Nicollet counties

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- It's been a summer of extremes -- too much rain early on, followed by a long dry period, according to Brown County Extension Educator Wayne Schoper,

Corn and soybean fields in the area benefitted from Tuesday night's rainfall, say area Extension educators.

Many fields in Brown and Nicollet counties received 1 to 2 inches of rain. More is needed in the next week to 10 days for optimum late summer conditions.

"It won't help the corn a great deal, but it will give it a heavier test weight," Schoper said. "It helped the beans a bit more, building up soil moisture which is important in the fall. Everything is pretty much done except for some silage which may be cut as late as next week."

Most farmers have taken their last alfalfa crop. Schoper recommended no alfalfa cutting after Sept. 1 -- or "it won't have time for winter preparation."

The rain came at a very opportune time, but more rain is needed in the near future to have a good fall harvest, said Nicollet County Extension Educator Gary Hachfeld.

"The ground is so dry, everything was absorbed," Hachfeld said. "Corn and soybean yields are down 20-25 percent compared to last year."

Canning pea yields were down further with most fields reporting yields in the 2,000 pound-per-acre range. Typical canning pea yields were 3-4,000 pounds per acre. Sweet corn yields were 4-5 tons per acre compared to 6-6 1/2 tons per acre last year.

The Farmers Almanac predicts another severe winter for 2001-2002 with heavy snow in late November.

"Severe winters tend to happen in spurts," Schoper said. "Last winter was kind of brutal. We had a couple of mild winters before that. If we don't get some snow and freezing weather by the first week in November, I'd be surprised," Schoper said.