With this past week’s blizzard, Strathcona, Minnesota farmer Jim Kukowski said there’s no way planting will start before May 1. “Where I live, once the snow has gone and the frost starts coming out, it takes two weeks.” In Langdon, North Dakota, CHS Agronomy Wholesale Sales Manager Kyle Rollness doesn’t expect a quick snowmelt. “We’re probably going to see it on the ground awhile,” says Rollness. “The good news is growers in the western part of the state are glad to see precipitation coming, regardless of what form it shows up in.” Hazelton, North Dakota farmer Mike Appert agrees; the wet, heavy snow is welcome for the dry conditions. Spring planting will also be delayed on his farm. “We’ve been getting equipment ready and getting all of our inputs in place. We thought we’d be rolling by April 20, but it’s obviously not going to happen. This spring will probably be two weeks behind normal.”
