Heavy rains overnight and in the forecast are a mixed blessing for local farmers. For some farmers the rain is just what they need, but the concern is, what if it continues? The problem is, the crops need the moisture, but if this water stays here for 24 to 36 hours, crops could die.

“I don’t think this will catch us up for the year yet,” said Bob Haselwood, farms in Berryton.

Bob Haselwood farms in Berryton. His fields are so wet. He has spent the day working in a shed on his equipment instead of out in the fields.

“It’d be nice to be getting some things done, but I’m not going to complain about the rain now,” said Haselwood.

Haselwood says his crops like soybeans are so thirsty for moisture, even with the heavy rainfall on Monday, the soil soaked up all of the rain. Kansas has been in a drought in recent years.

That has left the soil extremely dry. The ground is acting like a sponge, soaking up all of the extra moisture it can.

“Many of the farmers have tiled their fields, in other words, they have drainage systems underneath the fields, so if it tends to have water sitting quite a bit, that water soaks out and drains out,” said Kenlon Johannes, CEO for Kansas Soybean Association.

With Monday’s rain, and more in the forecast, farmers are hoping that their fields will get a good soaking.

“If you get down there to that 3 or 4 foot area, it’s probably pretty dry down there yet,” said Shannon Hook, farmer in North Topeka.

Still there are some drawbacks, field work is nearly impossible and if the fields are too saturated, it can kill the crops already planted. But farmers are optimistic.

“It’s nice to have the field work always caught up as you go. it’s good to have the rain,” said Haselwood.

Hook tells if the rain continues the way that it has, he thinks that he will get a better crop this year than last year. The Kansas Soybean Association says one protection farmers have is crop insurance, which can cover flooding.

Source - http://kansasfirstnews.com/