Ohio farmers are off to a slow start this spring, with wet fields making it hard to get planting underway.
Most farmers across the state only had about a day to work in the fields last week, as rain and soggy conditions kept tractors and planters parked.
In Logan County, a few farmers were able to make some progress, but many say their fields are still too wet to plant.
Lynn Hooley, a farmer in Bloom Center, said he was able to plant 32 acres of oats during a short break in the weather.
Wenger’s near West Liberty and Wishwell Farms in Bellefontaine managed to get their sweet corn planted, taking advantage of the dry window.
But overall, things are still slow.
Many farmers are using the downtime to work on their equipment and make sure everything’s ready to go once the ground dries out.
In Shelby County, a few soybean fields have been started, and farmers in northern Champaign County have also managed to get some beans in the ground.
Still, it’s far from a full start to the season.
The good news is that soil moisture is in good shape — now farmers just need a stretch of dry, warm days to really get moving.
The forecast looks promising: Tuesday is expected to be sunny with a high of 68, Wednesday will reach 75 and sunny, and Thursday will warm up to 78 with partly sunny skies.
That kind of weather should help dry things out and give farmers a chance to catch up.
