With record amounts of snowfall in South Dakota over the winter farmers are actually surprised to be getting in the fields to plant this early. Many expected planting delays after a tough winter.
Todd Hanten farms near Goodwin in the northeast part of the state. “We had over 50 inches of snow here at our place and it was, I just thought we’re going to have a late spring and its going to be wet out there.”
Castlewood farmer Chad Schooley agrees. “Three weeks ago, I never would have guessed that we’d be in the field, and it would be fit. There were still snowbanks in the shelter belts and the fence lines.”
And while April was cold, soils have warmed up and dried off, a big contrast to the wet spring in 2022 in northeast South Dakota. Hanten says, “We’re planting today and the topsoil is perfect. There’s good subsoil moisture and I can go through every spot in every field.”
So he won’t have to take prevent plant like last year when 20% of his ground sat idle, and he’s not alone. “Most everybody that I’ve talked to says prevent plant acres are right now are probably not going to happen in South Dakota but they do believe that they’ll get it planted at this point.”
With the ideal conditions planting has been progressing quickly and farmers are going 24-7. Schooley says, “We’ve been running two rigs 12, 16 hours a day so we can put 600, 700 acres away in a day it doesn’t take long.” So, he is caught up to his normal planting pace. “We are about 80% done on soybeans and probably 60% to 65% done on corn.”
And with a good start, farmers are optimistic about yield potential.
