Field conditions may be a little wet right now, but the moisture is still a welcome sight.

Iowa State University Extension Field Agronomist Mike Witt says that some farmers were just getting to the point of being able to get back in the fields, but the recent rain will keep them out a little longer. He mentions that areas at a higher elevation will dry up a little sooner, while areas in valley’s, like the Raccoon River Valley, will need a little more time to be workable.

Witt tells Raccoon Valley Radio how the precipitation has improved ground conditions in the long run.

“So this rain, what it has done is obviously, it’s replenished the topsoil moisture. Which is what we need for crops to start growing, and once we get them planted, germinate and move along quite nicely. But with this extended amount of rain that we’ve had, we have done a very good job of starting to recharge that deeper soil moisture. So that will help us throughout the entire growing season. So even though we are delayed and we are at the point of wanting to get out there and get planting, all of this rain and all this moisture will help us as we move forward throughout the season.”

Witt explains that topsoil is sitting in the adequate moisture content range, but that with another good rain or two may reach the surplus level, although in some areas where more rain fell, the topsoil may already be in that surplus range. He adds that subsoil moisture levels are in the low to adequate range.