Growers remain hopeful

GIBSON CITY – Despite all of the recent wet weather, Gibson City farmer Greg Kerber remains optimistic for the rest of the season.

Some of his farms, which typically suffer from ponding after rain events, have new tile. This has been a benefit to Kerber.

“That put a little spring in the step with this wet weather,” Kerber told The Central Illinois Farm Network last week.

Kerber says aside from the rain, windy days have posed a challenge for spraying fields this year.

Farther to the west in Woodford County, Terra Shaffer says her family had a decent three-day weather window to get the corn in the ground recently. In fact, there was quite a bit of dust in the air before all of the rain fell.

“Everybody was out and it was awfully busy,” Shaffer said.

Shaffer remains hopeful that the newly-planted crops are okay in the ground, but she won’t rule out the possibility of replanting.

“I guess we missed some of the rain they got in Bloomington, but we need some sun.”