Photo credit: XtremeAg This week, moisture levels and irrigation water levels are a concern for Kelly Garrett and Kevin Matthews, while Matt Miles is assessing flood damage and preparing for increased insect pressure at his farm.
Kelly Garrett - Arion, Iowa
A fifth-generation farmer, Kelly Garrett farms corn, soybeans, and winter wheat in western Iowa. It’s one of the driest seasons I’ve seen since the drought year in 2012. We did manage to get a nice .7 inch of rain last week, and all the crops perked up immediately as they quenched their thirst. The rain did not add much to our depleted subsurface moisture levels, which is a real concern as we head into the heat of the summer season. Would be nice to be able to bank some of that moisture, but the plants are so thirsty that any water we get at this point goes straight into the plant.