By Mark Badertscher
Hardin County Agricultural 
And Natural Resources Educator

Farmers have been busy planting the past three weeks with a few moderate rains to break things up.  This year planting was delayed by a couple weeks due to cool and wet conditions.  Because of that, the activities such as spraying fields with herbicides, applying fertilizer and tillage activities were not completely done by the usual date of the beginning of May. 

Planting progress for both corn and soybeans jumped ahead of the five-year average following a delayed start to the planting season.  High temperatures with moist soil conditions also helped to promote corn emergence.  Winter wheat has started to head and alfalfa will soon be cut. 

Most of the corn has been planted in Hardin County, however soybeans are still being planted in several area fields.