The U-S-D-A crop report this week showed high winds and frequent showers kept many Iowa farmers from getting the planting season underway. Iowa State University Extension Crops Specialist Joel DeJong (Dee-Young) works in northwest Iowa and says despite the cooler temperatures most of the signs are positive.

DeJong says the four-inch soil temperature was 35 on Saturday and up to 41 on Sunday, so it is moving in the right direction.

While some farmers in southern Iowa are into the fields, he says northern Iowa farmers may want to wait a few more days, even though research studies indicate better yields are obtained with early planted seed.