Antique Tractor Show Attracts A Big Crowd

The seemingly almost continuous rains that Adair County has endured for the past three months have been both a boon and a bust for local farmers.
With almost 20 inches of rain falling on the county since the first of April - the time period that coincides with the start of the spring harvesting and planting season - local farmers have realized good hay yields and pasture growth, but have been severely hampered in harvesting hay or getting row crops such as corn and tobacco planted.
"We've been begging for rain for the past two years," Adair County Extension Agent for Agriculture Nick Roy noted. "And we're finally getting what we've asked for.
"The rains have been very good for hay and pasture," he said. "We've had good hay yields, and re-growth on hay and pasture fields has been outstanding. But, it's been almost impossible to harvest hay without it getting wet. Having the hay get wet, or, in a lot of situations having to delay harvesting until the hay is past maturity has resulted in lower quality."
Roy said that the forages hardest hit by the excessive rains are winter wheat harvested for feed and alfalfa.
"Wheat is normally harvested in late April or early May, but farmers weren't able to get into the fields until late May, and wheat is a forage that deteriorates in quality very rapidly, " he explained. "The first cutting of alfalfa was also hurt, as there was an increased presence of weevils due to the cooler temperatures."
The wet fields have also delayed the planting of row crops such as corn and tobacco, Roy said.
"We generally see corn being planted in mid-April, but this year it was late April or early May before farmers could get into the fields to plant it," he said. "Tobacco is the same. It was well up in May before producers were able to start setting, and there's still a lot being set now.
"And, because a lot of farmers had to get into the fields to plant when it was too wet, most everyone will be dealing with moderate to severe soil compaction," he continued. "Compaction slows down root development, which causes a loss in production."
The agent also noted that the excessive rain can result in nitrogen loss in the soil, and farmers with crops in low-lying soils should consider the possibility of adding nitrogen through side-dressing.
Roy said that he has already observed some crop losses due to the heavy rains.
"We already have measurable crop losses from the rain in plantings that have drowned out," he said. "I've seen quite a bit of tobacco and even some corn that has been destroyed by the standing water."
And while farmers could benefit from several rainless days in a row so that they can get caught up, Roy said the rains need to continue throughout the summer.
"We're going to need some timely rains throughout the rest of the growing season for us to have a good production year," he noted.

Photo: PEOPLE’S CHOICE. The bright pink tractor owned by Carey and Karen Stafford of Liberty was voted the People’s Choice winner at the tractor show. Presenting Karen Stafford with the trophy is show founder Lewis Garrison. The Staffords painted the antique 1947 Farmall H tractor bright pink to help raise awareness of cancer. (Photo by Paul B. Hayes)