CERRO GORDO COUNTY, IA - It's not unusual to see ponds forming in fields this time of year, but the occasional rows of un-harvested corn, that's a new one this spring.
A wet end to the season forced farmers to work long nights last fall; some even had to leave corn in the field to harvest this spring. Now, things aren't much drier.
"One of the largest snowfalls for a winter that we've seen in quite a few years,” said Farm Manager Sterling Young, “and those fields, of course, that had standing corn in them, the quality of that corn has not improved any throughout the winter."
Neither has the quality of the soil it's standing in.
"So, the next crop is going to be difficult to manage and produce a good crop after having to harvest in the spring," said Belmond farmer Dave Nelson.
Plus, those farmers are going to be behind from the get-go.
"They’ve got a whole bunch of work they've got to finish in order to start planting again," said Nelson.
But, don't count the new season out yet.
It's only a small minority of farmers around here that still have corn to harvest, and for the rest of their field, and everyone else, all the moisture is a good start.
"We've got really good soil moisture, and we've got everything in the bank to make a really good crop,” said Nelson. “So, it's just going to be up to Mother Nature if she gives us a bunch of sunshine or not."
And it's up to her how good the late harvest will be too.
"As we get warm, sunny days, the plants will start to dry down,” said Young, “but the quality of that corn will be subject to the temperature and moisture that we get."
Young says un-harvested crops are a big problem in Southern Iowa and the Dakotas right now.
When it is harvested finally, it likely won't be used for human consumption due to the low quality.
