The planting season is off to a slow start but planters were rolling yesterday in parts of the region. North of Viborg, South Dakota Chad Nelson was in the field and says they’re still within their normal planting dates but it just seems slow compared to last year.
Nelson says after drought in the 2021 growing season and a mainly open winter he’s planting into dry dirt.
However, Nelson is trying to remain optimistic considering the yields they were able to achieve last year despite drought.
Nelson says the soil temperatures are colder than last spring and have been below the 50-degree threshold for corn.
Near Castlewood Chad Schooley was doing tillage work waiting for soil temperatures to get warm enough to plant corn.
He says planting is well behind last year but he’s not worried yet.
And Schooley doesn’t think with these planting dates he will lose much yield.
He was hoping to plant small grains and some soybeans this week and move on to corn next week.