By Jolene Farley
After a cool spring, crops have rebounded and are on track for this year, according to area farmers. The corn will be, as the saying goes, knee high by the Fourth of July.
"Most people I talk to are pretty happy with the way the crops are out there," said Rock County Extension Educator Fraser Norton.
Worries earlier this spring about how crops would fare in the cooler-than-normal spring have been alleviated.
The heat and growing degree days (a measure of heat units) improved three weeks ago and currently measure 678, almost 200 units ahead of normal, according to Norton.
"Crops were in the ground (this spring) but they weren't germinating because it was too cool," said Norton.
When stuck in the pre-germination stage crops are much more susceptible to pests and disease. Only a few Rock County farmers were forced to replant their crops.
"The corn is going to be knee high by the fourth of July," said Steen farmer Terry Sandstede. "It's going to be waist high by the fourth."
In the days before farming became more scientific, farmers thought if the corn was knee high by the Fourth of July it meant a good corn crop for the year.
Sandstede, who farms 200 acres of soybeans and 200 acres of corn, estimates crops will be average this year.
Even though the Steen area received one-half inch of rain last week Sandstede hopes for more. "It would be nice to have some rain," he said. "With this heat it really dries out."
Luverne farmer Steve Top agrees with Sandstede. "They (crops) look good....The wind has to stay down so we get some spraying done, but a good rain is what we need," he said. "One to two inches of rain would be just perfect going into the Fourth of July week."