Hardin County Extension rainfall reporters recorded an average of 7.08 inches of rain in Hardin County during June, according to Mark Badertscher, extension agent.

Last year, the average rainfall for June was 6.09 inches. Rainfall for June 2019 was 1.46 inches more than the ten-year average rainfall in the month of June.  

Dudley Township received 10.24 inches, the most of the township sites. The least rain in June, 4.51 inches was collected in Liberty Township.  

For the growing season since April 15, the average precipitation in all the townships was 16.29 inches, with a wide range from 12.82 inches in Liberty Township to 19.23 inches in Pleasant Township.  

Regular rains and cool temperatures during the month of June kept soils saturated around the county, preventing the planting of corn and soybeans for most of the month.  

Towards the end of the month, field conditions improved to where planting could take place.  Many farmers decided to take prevented planting crop insurance with corn instead of planting much of the crop.  

Some decided to change acres to soybeans, with late planting of that crop while others decided to forgo additional planting of soybeans as more rains further delayed planting.  

These soybean acres were then declared prevented planting acres as well.  Producers who needed corn for silage, feed, or contracts planted late while soybean producers continued planting into July who needed to fill contracts or didn’t have crop insurance.  Some producers were able to roll over grain contracts or buy them out.

As the rains became less frequent, livestock producers where finally able to make the first cutting of hay, about a month later than normal. 

 More sprayers were seen in fields applying herbicides to kill weeds that were taking over fields that went unplanted.  Other weeds were being tilled or mowed.  Fields were also fit for manure applications as livestock producers needed to haul nutrients collected in storage since the wet fall.  

Nitrogen is being applied to corn in the field to replace much that has been lost.  Wheat harvest just began this past weekend which will also serve as a source of straw for needed bedding of livestock.